Sincerely
by blackkyu
Summary: Lelouch died before his promise could be fulfilled, but C.C. could not let go; and the poor child suffered. But now, after all that time...perhaps she can see him again, her love, her life, her Lelouch, so long as Time keeps his promise.
1. Chapter 1

Sincerely

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Rune

She buried her head into the pillow, tears slowly cascading down her face. The image of the sad, calm, angry boy (doctor, scientist, teacher, and so many other things that could only be achieved by a genius at his young age) racing through her head.

"I've done it again" she whispered, her voice cracking as her long hair fell before her eyes. No matter how hard she tried to cast her mind into darkness; to drive away the pain through mere slumber, the boy's words laced with anguish, guilt, and fatigue kept repeating in her head like a merry-go-round that never ends.

_A young man sat by the window. His hand, pale and trembling, held the hand of the one who lay in bed, her breathing soft. He stared at the girl, a sneaking hint of tiredness seeping into his eyes that should, in all rights, only belong on the face of old men who have seen too much in their lifetime._

_"I wonder…" he whispered, a small smile slipping upon his face, "When you wake up, would you want pepperoni pizza or sausage and mushroom?" _

_As if hearing the question, the girl began to stir. The boy's eyes shone with true happiness as he grasped her hand with both of his and leaned closer to her face in order to whisper "good morning" as she opened her golden eyes. The girl blinked a few times, her eyes surprisingly focused as she smiled at the boy. _

_"__Good __morning...Lelouch" _

_Upon hearing that name slip past her lips, the boy's smile fell, the light from his eyes dying as he slowly let go of her hand. "I'm sorry" he whispered, his eyes downcast "I'm not Lelouch" _

_The girl blinked in confusion, her hand reaching up to touch the boys face. "Silly Lelouch, who do you take me for? You promised you'd never leave my side; you promised that you'd kill me, didn't you? Anyways, no one else in the world has your eyes" She ended her remark with a soft chuckle, though she was completely oblivious to the truth. _

_The boy's shoulders slumped, his eyes on the verge of tearing up "You're right" he whispered weakly, "No one has his eyes; not even me." _

_The girl's eyes suddenly widened in shock, snatching back her hand as if it had been scorched "R-Rune?" she asked. Her voice rang of hesitation and fear as she came to the realization, to the truth, that had been kept locked away until now. Only now did she realize that the boy whom she had seen as a clear resemblance to her would-be murderer looked nothing like the person she had suspected he had been._

_The boy nodded softly as he got up from his seat, the long white lab coat trailing in his wake as his braided brown hair swayed right behind him. He figured that it wouldn't take too long for the woman to figure him out, but when the time arrived, he felt as though he had just scarred her; as though he had performed a cruel deed despite his kind intentions. Needless to say, the feeling that came about immediately afterwards was nowhere near good._

_"Wait!" she called her hand outstretched towards Rune's personage as though doing that might be able to bring him back to her side. However, the distance between the male and female was too great and the only thing that her soft hand came in contact with was air._

_The boy turned to look at her. "I too promised to never leave your side; to kill you when the time comes… but I'm not him, I'm me." His voice held hurt and a subtle amount of anger in between. This concoction was lathered all over his words and seemed to slap the girl across the face like a wake-up call. "I also promised that I'd find a way for you to see him again, so please!" he begged, his eyes once again on the verge of tears._

_"Don't call me that name! Don't go insane and please, please, please, never think of me as his replacement! I'm not like him in anyway; the only thing we share in common is you, so for once just call me by my name!" Rune whipped his arms in front of him for emphasis, his lab coat waving right behind him as the flurry of tears that had piled on quickly in his eyes flew off. The woman gasped in surprise, quickly swayed by the gesture. "Say it without thinking of him!" He paused and took a deep breath in before closing his eyes and looking away from the girl's attentive gaze. "Please…" he whispered. "At least consider me a friend, not because of how I make you remember him, but as I am myself, by my own merits"_

Even though Rune had left the room soon after, she was still able to see the rampant tears falling from his eyes. She felt even guiltier for having thought how those tears reminded her of how Lelouch cried over losing his best friend and how those words sounded like how Lelouch had come to her seeking guidance.

"_He's right…_" she thought to herself slowly, _"They look nothing alike but_..." Her eyes clouded with more tears, the memories that flew in quickly the cause behind them. "_They speak the same way, they think the same way, they laugh the same way, they cry the same way, they walk the same way…" _

As the list grew so did her tears. For she knew that she could never see Rune as anyone else but Lelouch, and she knew full well that that was going to break his already strained heart; it was going to turn his smiles into mere empty promises and his life-filled eyes into hollow pits of despair. She was going to once again act as the monster that would take the honest, innocent child's life and tear it to shreds.

"Oh what have I done?" she cried in the dark.

…

Two years later Rune had granted all of her wishes, her dreams. And it that time, he never again let C.C. see him cry, and not once did he bring up the events of that day. But it was always on her mind, always haunting, turning.

So in all those days she tried to find the differences from Lelouch and concentrate on that, but when she finally saw him for himself, saw how his smiles held more innocence, how his eyes where more mischievious, how his dance moves where less elegant, and how he spoke to others in a more energetic way; he was dying in her arms, his blood seeping all over the floor as he smiled sadly at her, eyes no longer mischevious, words no longer energetic.

"You can rest now." he said softly "You can finally be with him, the man you love so dearly."

How ironic it was, after all those days, all those months of dreaming of being able to see Lelouch again, of wondering when her wish would be granted. Yes, how terribly ironic, that now that it was granted she wished it never was.

***Author Note: you've been warned****

Hello everyone! Thank you all so very much for reading the first chapter! I hope all of you who read this chapter before appreciate all the changes that PXLight made ^^ be sure to give your thanks, also, we would very much like it if we could get your opinions, any kind is good, so long as it helps make the story better. *bows* thank you all so very much for your support!


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: _I own nothing but Time_

**Chapter 2: C.C.**

The world seemed to stand still, the ever dark sky sparkling with white diamonds and the water's reflection seeming to dance. Lilies coated the lakes edge, beautiful willow trees dipping their leaves unto the water's surface, eternal ripples forever gracing the tips.

She stood there in silence, her golden eyes reflecting everything and yet nothing. Her clothes were cast aside to the right, lying ever so close to the lake's edge, the moon's light reflecting off of them and giving her naked skin an angelic glow. Her beauty almost made her inhuman; then again, such was the case. A slight breeze whipped through the scene casting her brilliant green hair into the air around her for a few seconds before slowly draping its owner's figure once more.

Suddenly, the stillness of the scene was shattered as she jumped and dove into the lake, her hands first. The woman broke the water skin cleanly, creating less than a tiny splash as a result. She moved gracefully through the water, small ripples forming bigger ones, but instead of distorting her image, they seemed to enhance it, her long green hair, dancing under the water's depths, appearing to glow, for every ripple seemed to give off a light; a pale light, but a pure and heavenly one.

As she reached the center of the lake, her scars now hidden within the glowing water, she began to sing. The sound of her voice was sad, lonely, and held so much pain that if the trees could cry, they would have wept.

"Before the end,

Before the beginning,

I wish to know,

I wish to see

With my eyes

How you love me

And yet I know

That treasures told

Hold nothing more than lies"

"As the shadows take hold

Your words lost in the wind

I wait

I cry

I see

In that time that you give me

I find the love

You always sought

But yet no longer

Do you remain

In this world

As days once gone"

By the end, the girl was weeping as well, her hands clenched in the water, her eyes closed tight. The silence seemed to stretch on for ages but…

"Aack!" yelled someone from the left, followed by the sound of breaking branches and something falling to the ground with a resounding _thump_.

Her gaze immediately turned to the sound with surprise; though such a humane emotion did not betray her eyes, but rather shone through a more bodily and dramatic reaction. Her eyes were clear to such an extent that they reflected a young man rubbing his head; his short dark brown hair reminding her of someone else and his bark purple eyes sending shocks of pain throughout her heart.

"Why hello!" the young man cried, but once he realized the identity of his audience and the actual condition of said person, he stiffened while mentally face-palming himself for stumbling in at a time like this. "I'm truly sorry! I-I didn't mean to i-interrupt your bathing time..." His face instantly turned red with the statement. He paused to attempt to re-capture his posture, but the time could only reveal more of his embarrassment. "B-but you see..." he finally choked out of his mouth. "I grew weary after a long journey and fell asleep in the tree... and overslept it seems." he added as he glanced at the sky, only looking down when he received no response.

She continued to stare with a quizzical look that otherwise didn't taint her ethereal looks. A small, but sarcastically light-hearted smile graced her face as the woman remained silent.

"Soo…" The young man stretched the word a bit longer than it normally should with a fading tone, scratching the back of his head with uncertainty. "My real name is Time, but everyone calls me Ti." Realizing that she didn't get the point of the declaration, he asked "What's your name?" but all she did was stare, and stare, and stare.

"_Not much of a people person, huh?"_ the young man thought as he got up to leave, dusting off his pants. He sighed to himself in defeat; all the troubles he went through simply weren't worth this result.

"You don't have to worry your pretty little head. I can't see a thing with that glowing water surrounding you, and I'm not into falling in love with women I just met, so I'm leaving right now and you won't have to see me again" He was just about to leave when he looked over his shoulder one more time. "J-Just be careful... okay?" He nodded slightly to himself to prove his satisfaction with the conclusion of this rather one-sided conversation and turned his back to her, a bandaged right hand placed to his hip as he ruffled his hair to shake off the remaining leaves that attempted to make residence on his scalp.

All she did was continue to observe, her golden eyes seeming to glow as they watched the young man's every move, but now the pain was gone.

If past experience taught her anything, it was to not place images of loved ones onto other people, but, as very far back past experiences taught her, she knew that the young man was not normal. How so, she could not tell, but she felt he was the key to solving everything.

Why did Rune's sacrifice only let her be with Lelouch for a hundred years?

Why were both of their souls brought back to the world of the living?  
Why were they separated?  
Where was Lelouch?

She felt, just as strongly as she felt her love for both Lelouch and Rune, that this young man could lead her to the answers. And so, with these new feelings, she called out.

"I'm C.C."

Time turned around slowly, a smirk on his face. He had anticipated everything; his sudden arrival and departure were all planned out to lead to this one moment. "So the beauty can speak after all." he chuckled lightly.

"I'm not mute" she responded with a tinge of annoyance, some of her old self shinning through. Something about him seemed to be able to drag out her past. _"Perhaps his name..."_ she thought.

"Is there something I can do for you?" he asked in return, his purple eyes, although the same shade as Lelouch's, looked so different with the dancing amusement of someone so used to being on their own and loving it.

"I want you to take me on your journey" she blurted out, her face completely straight as Times' eyes widened for only a millisecond. In all honesty, the peace and tranquility this place brought every single day soon became rather old. Her soul seemed to long for something out of the ordinary. Her mind had been thinking in the silence and she knew that this man would be her escape from this paradise of a prison.

"Well, this is quite sudden" he exclaimed, looking at the willow trees to avoid gazing at the woman's mesmerizing look. "I've never had a girl propose to me before"

"I'm not proposing, I'm ordering" she corrected, a hard tone in her voice that did not match her laughing eyes.

"Ouch, forceful, are we?" Time muttered under his breath as he looked to his feet, a sly smirk coming to his face.

"And if you dare try to leave before I'm done bathing I'll hunt you down" C.C. warned, her eyes glaring daggers into his head.

"Alright, alright! I get it already, I'll stay here while you have your bath, Your Highness, but don't complain to me when I see everything your body has to offer." Time raised his eyebrow as though judging what he could see now and by the looks of things, he sure liked it. He let out an unceremonious hoot, which only received an annoying glare followed by yellow eyes rolling at him from his audience.

"I'm taken" was her only response as she set about finishing her bath, missing Times' slightly hurt look. She said that simply to get the man off her back. Even though she knew there was something special about him, he needed to know that he can't overstep his bounds and replace the space reserved for Lelouch and Rune in her heart.

Time remained silent as he looked away so he didn't succumb to his rather perverted senses. _"He's one hell of a lucky guy, this man of hers..."_ he thought as he sat cross-legged upon the ground, taking out his flute. _"I might as well play... Not like I have anything else to do."_

At the sound of the first resonating note that left the humble sound pipe of Time's flute, C.C paused. To say C.C was surprised would be correct; to say she felt content would also be correct. Times song seemed to dance within the air and slid through the leaves of the willows, and swim through the water of the lake. The light melody filled the air and it seemed as though nature swayed in accordance to the tune.

The song made everything seem warmer, kinder, more alive, the sound of the forest joining in on the melody. And, unlike C.C's heartbreaking song that made all things want to weep, his tune made all feel happy, at home, at peace, as if engulfed in a warm blanket, nestled by the fire in a cozy home, with one's lovers arms wrapped around them.

She could have fallen asleep to that sound at any time, and, as it were, she closed her eyes and hummed along, her voice sending vibrations throughout the water, lights dancing to and fro and lily pads moving in soothing motions from side to side, their forms glowing a haunting yet beautiful neon green.

In her mind's eye she could see her love, her Lelouch. She could see him with such clarity that she felt as though she could touch him if she so much as reached out her hand. But, just as she was about to, the comforting warmth of the song broke into shards, leaving only cold loneliness in its wake.

C.C. quickly looked over to the side, ready to scold him for such an abrupt ending, but the words died on her lips, for he lay on his side, the lilies seeming to bend towards him as he let out shallow gasps.

Clouds broke out with every breath he took and she knew something was wrong. It was nowhere near that cold out, and so she rushed to his side, caring not for her nakedness or for the fact that he would see her scars.

For the only thought running through her head was 'not again' over and over again it repeated, for seeing him, a young man with Rune's hair and Lelouch's eyes, laying on the ground in so much pain reminded her of things she'd rather forget, things she never wanted to remember, the blood, the screams, the tears, the pain…

"What's wrong?" C.C. asked hurriedly as she reached Time's side. "Nothing, really." came his tired response "Damn curse is acting up again... is all." He made it seem to casual, as though he was already used to this pain occurring, but he was pained to know that the first beautiful woman he had met in the longest time had to see him like this.

"_He's cursed?"_ C.C. thought angrily "_Who would curse someone with such great taste in music!" _

"Nice..." the young man said, startling her out of her thoughts

"What?" she asked, only wishing she hadn't when she saw the smile creeping on Time's face. It was a smile not of pleasantries or condolences but rather one that could be found on the face of a rapist. "Sicko..." she muttered before slapping him across his face brutally, making sure to literally wipe the sick smile off his face.

The young man hardly reacted as he traced her scar. "This man of yours sure is lucky"

"Grand, you know I'm taken; now stop touching me before I punch you in the face so hard that the pain this curse brings you is nothing."

"You'd hurt a sick man?"

"You are indeed sick, that is true, and usually I wouldn't harm a fallen man, however, looking at your face makes me so angry that I want to punch it anyway."

"Ouch."

aaaaaa**That Night**aaaaaa

Bath finished, clothes clean, song complete, and Time complaining about C.C. being a slave driver, the two continued to set up camp, or at least Time continued and C.C. ordered.

"The fire pit shall go there" she commanded as she sat on a log, her slender hand pointing to the center of the clearing. "And we will need about 100 different pieces of wood" she continued, not caring for Times' incredulous look. "And then we'll need four sharpened sticks to hold the fish, eight fish, two things to eat on, and something to act as my bed" she finished, watching Times' eyes get bigger.

"_Why did I even agree to take her along?"_ He screamed in his mind. _"If she wasn't here I could just find a tree and sleep the night away, but noooo! I have to get food, and all the other stuff she needs and then keep watch!"_

Instead of venting out his frustrations with his first contact with humanity in so long, he said "Haven't you had to do this all on your own? I mean, you didn't have others there to do it for you, so why are you forcing me to?"

"Because I'm tired." was her honest answer, causing Times' anger to evaporate into thin air, "And because I really want to sleep."

Sighing, Time gave up and did everything she asked; he even made sure to look extra hard for the cleanest and softest leaves around for her to sleep on... not that she really noticed for she fell asleep as soon as she lay down.

"Good night." Time whispered, the fire reflecting in his eyes as the fish that was meant for him continued to burn. "Sweet dreams."

aaaaaa**Dream**aaaaaa

_All about were voices: people talking hurriedly, people screaming, yelling, whispering. None seemed to notice as a dirtied girl walked past them all, her green hair hiding her eyes and her clothes torn in several places. A street urchin deserved no attention and there was no need to pity such an insolent creature._

_But they were not the only ones guilty of this ignorance, for the girl herself ignored them, her eyes blank and sad as she moved through the crowd without truly being there. She was still in shock; her Lelouch had been killed before her very eyes, torn from her very arms, and she had been so powerless to stop it._

_In fact she provided so very little attention to the road ahead of her that she didn't even notice when she bumped into someone and fell. On the ground, she never made a move to get up or even look up. _

_That is, until a kind hand was placed before her eyes and, wonderingly, she moved her eyes up as if in a daze, slowly taking in the elbow, the fore arm, the shoulder, the neck, the chin, the nose, and then.. the eyes. _

_The eyes were not the same color as Lelouch's eyes, not even close with their glowing green shine, but, yet, those eyes were just like his: kind, powerful, intelligent. _

_And once her vision opened to see the face, she saw a gentle one, soft brown hair rolling down the young man's shoulders and gently caressing his cheeks, laying in front of his eyes in an odd, but cute manner. _

"_No, this man erm... boy." she corrected herself as she got a closer look as his youthful face "He is nothing like Lelouch in appearance." And yet, in her saddened state, she refused to acknowledge anyone being kind to her unless they were her love, unless they could be seen as her love, unless they spoke and acted like her love. _

_Looking in the boy's eyes she could not find such an image difficult to place, but, in an act of her remaining sanity she asked "What's your name?" _

_Startled the boy blinked, and the way he blinked was so close to Lelouch's way of blinking that the image could indeed work "I'm Rune...You are?"_

_Taking the boy's hand she replied with a smile "I'm C.C."_

_The boy smiled back, his smile causing his face to morph into Lelouch's face in C.C.s' mind. _

"_Where are you headed?" she asked_

"_To the lab." the boy replied, although all she sees was Lelouch._

"_I'm coming with you." she declared rather forcefully, causing the boy's smile to falter for only a fraction of a second _

"_Alright." he replied with only slight hesitation in his voice but she never noticed for her Lelouch would never hesitate to take her anywhere if she so asked. _

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE**_: YOU'VE BEEN WARNED

Hello everyone, I know I said Sincerely was a oneshot, however, after thinking it over for awhile, I finally thought of a way to make it go on. Alas, I'm not sure if this is okay, so any comments would be appreciated. *bows* Thank you. Also, I, along with PXLight, have made a few adjustments to chapter one, so if you would please read it again and tell us what you think, it would be greatly appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** _I own nothing but Time (both of them)_

**Chapter 3: Lelouch**

There was no light, no hope, and no truth. There only remained the lingering pain, sadness, fear and any other terrible feeling conceivably possible.

He could barely keep his eyes open anymore, barely talk, but he could hear, though this provided him no hope.

Most of the time, he could only hear the whining of the machines, the creaking of the floor, and the movement of feet outside the door.

He could still see the dim light seeping through the cracks in the door, though they always turned out the light.

He could see the ceiling's texture, but beyond that, he could not, but then perhaps it's because he simply refused to.

For this room frightened him, and he wished to have nothing to do with it.

They had been experimenting on him for days, his only moments of pleasure coming from the times that _she_ came to speak with him. Amidst the darkness brought upon the constant probing, humming, muttering, and pain, her presence served to him as the only form of _hope_ he had amidst the torture; a blazing source of goodness in hell.

_She_ never asked his name nor did she give hers, but she spoke to him as if he was her diary; on and on about the happenings of the outside world. She ranted about things such as her sons, about her cats… about anything really.

Normally Lelouch would have found this beyond annoying, but under the circumstances he was currently in, he found it soothing for he could use his well-developed strategic brain and finally think about something other than the dimming hope for escape and his wild unrealistic fantasies about his deepest desires. Like dancing fish, her voice seemed to swim all about the room, touching everything, warming everything with its beauty. It brought a tinge of reality back into his unrealistic "life".

Her voice always seemed to reach into him and bring out the memories of his love, his life, his C.C., and each time she spook, he felt at peace.

But for some reason she did not come today.

There was no voice to softly carry him to a sweet world of dreams. But neither was there the pain, well, yes the remnants of the pain from the day before remained, but not the pain that usually came with a new day.

The room was black, silent, empty, dead.

Lelouch could only wonder what would await him at the day's end, and he could only hope that C.C. was safe, but neither thought was left to be pondered long; for the door opened and with the soft creak came the clatter of sandals, it was the sound of _her_ walking into the room.

Lelouch turned his head only slightly in her direction, knowing that any further would break his neck yet again.

"Hello" she whispered with a jingle of keys that was quite new with her presence.

"Hello" he croaked back, his throat dry and cracked from screams.

"I've got a gift for you" she said as she walked closer. He didn't try to guess, so he remained silent and reserved his energy for said gift.

She slowly unlocked his restraints, as if afraid to cause noise. She didn't remove his blindfold, but she helped him up and finally offered her name.

"I am known as Time, but my friends call me Ti."

_Few minutes later…_

They had left the room; Time slowly guiding him down the hall. Their pace was slow, but this was only because of Lelouch's general lack of speed and the severe energy drain he had grown accustomed to after all this time.

"Why do they call you Time?" he asked, having given her his name not long ago. It was a peculiar name that perked his interest. He had known of the woman's presence for so long, but a solid name like Time seemed rather unfitting of his savior.

"Why do they call you Lelouch?" she asked back, perhaps with a smile that she had yet to let him see.

He had no answer for that, not because he did not know it, but because he knew she would not answer the question.

"My son is also known as Time" she said.

"Which one?"

"Youngest." she replied with slight scorn; not for him, but for the child. "Compared to the rest of his family, he is rather…different. A black sheep, if you were."

Lelouch flinched at the tone the stereotypical devoted mother used when talking about one of her sons. "Do you… hate him?" he asked hesitantly. The feeling was just there and he needed to know himself. However, as he said it, he immediately realized his disregard for her feelings and wanted to take it back, but Time let him down and motioned with her eyes that the question was legitimate and okay.

"More than anything in the world." she replied coldly.

Lelouch did not doubt her for the calming fish that made up her voice had turned into raging fires and giant dragons. But he did not ask why she hated him, or even why she had mentioned her son in the first place.

He did not ask, or so much as ponder, because he was already asleep.

aaaaaa**Dream**aaaaaa

_Within the room people lay strewn about like rag dolls given to a dog. These people did not move, they did not moan or groan or bleed; they simply laid there, bodies in positions so awkward and strange that only the dead could achieve. _

_Only two seemed to be alive, a young man and girl; the man bleeding from his stomach while the girl clutched his head against her as if guarding the man from sight, or, perhaps, it was to stop him from seeing the sight; the bodies, the monsters… his sister's corpse. _

_Before them both stood a creature of strange origin, at once recognized and seen and yet not seen, not recognized, as if the heart knew all along what it was, as if the __**soul**__ could see it, but the mind refused to accept its presence._

_The girl's long green hair trailed to the floor, specks of blood mixed in, clumping pieces of her hair together; she was beautiful even then. With torn clothes, scratched arms, tear soaked eyes, and bloody hair, even some of the most beautiful women turn ugly, but she remained forever an angel. While other's eyes would have dimmed in despair, her eyes blazed, fiery eyes of molten lava lighting her face with an inner glow that even the creature, with its odd beauty and strength, could not help but admire. _

_Alas, this admiration did not stop the creature from advancing upon the girl and the man who, held so tenderly within her arms; could be no one else but her love. _

_Lelouch stood behind the creature, tears in his eyes as he once again watched the scene of his death and watched the breaking of C.C.'s heart. He could not help but wonder for this time he had more control of his thoughts: what that creature was, how it had obtained his sister when she was so far away, why she was brought before him and then killed before his very eyes, and why such a deliberate attack against him. _

_He closed his eyes and turned away from the scene; C.C.'s crying face far too much for him to take. Even though he had seen her again in the afterlife, he could not help but think that the sadness she was expressing at his death. She would once again experience this upon their separation. _

_However, despite his expectation to once again see the room upon opening of his eyes, he only saw white. In shock, he did nothing. Even after the shock had passed, he only looked around while not moving from his spot. _

"_What is this place?" he thought, his amethyst eyes glancing round. He took one step forward. Upon nothing happening he took another, but before another could be made a voice rang out from blankness._

"…_I wouldn't do that if I were you…"a sing-song voice chimed. The voice seemed to be of someone Lelouch guessed to be a young man._

"_And why not?" Lelouch asked back, his eyes staring straight ahead for he knew looking around would get him nowhere._

"…_Because…" said the voice, accompanied with the sound of a flute and a slight silhouette of someone jumping around on the white floor appearing before Lelouch's eyes. The connection of the figure's foot and the floor caused ripples to appear, making Lelouch think of a pure white lake. _

"_She doesn't want you to take that road"_

"_Who?"_

"_You know… her… the only girl that's meant for you?" the voice called back with a tint of mockery and slight teasing. Despite this, Lelouch could feel no intent to harm in that voice; not that it mattered really for all he cared about was the mention of C.C.. _

"_Is C.C. alright!" he all but yelled, his cool demeanor left in the dust. _

"…_Now, now…" cooed the voice, the flute sound echoing behind every word, "…Are you not more curious as to who I am, or even of where you are…?"_

"_Just tell me how she is!" cried Lelouch. He didn't even bother hiding the slight desperation in his actions._

"…_Fine" was the voices curt reply, a sharp note of the flute ending with just as much emotion as the voice._

"_That's good." he whispered to himself, his eyes cast downward in relief, only for him to look up again towards the light contrast of a shadow amidst the blur. "Where is she?" he asked, a bit more calmly this time in order to avoid aggravating his only source of information._

"…_Oh, sorry we're out of time…"_

"—_What?"_

"…_Mother's calling you…__" was the voice's last reply, the flute behind its words accenting its anger, the acidic sound of poison falling into a lake and tainting the pure waters murky brown showing the voices true hatred for this 'mother.'_

_Before Lelouch could protest he felt the tug of reality, and heard the sound of swimming fish and gentle waters. _

aaaaaa**Reality**aaaaaa

He opened his eyes with a snap, his body jerking forward as a gasp escaped his throat.

Before him stood Time, her eyes gently gazing at him as though she were caring for a sick child of her own.

"I'm alright." he said unconsciously, feeling as if that was the answer she needed, as if that answer would make her happy. At that time, she reminded Lelouch of his own mother.

She only gave a nod in return, but he could tell by her smile that she was relieved. "You were having a bad dream." she said, as if to clarify her worry "And you were tossing and turning and, because we were walking at the time you fell asleep, I dropped you by accident."

Time blushed as if ashamed of herself, truly feeling guilty for dropping a wounded man on the floor as though she had just dropped one of her own offspring. "The scientists were coming, so I had to drag you into a secret room that I found one day while exploring. I don't think anyone else knows about it." she added hastily, noticing the question forming of Lelouch's lips.

Lelouch accepted all this with a nod of the head. Frankly, he didn't really care; at least he wasn't in the hands of someone he knew would bring pain upon his personage. He moved to get up, feeling, quite strangely, as though he was as good as new.

"Let's get out of here" he said with a glance at the door, receiving a smile from Time.

"Let's."

They both walked out of the door draped in the pair of scientist garbs they found in the room. Through their cautious and attempt at an unsuspecting walk, not one person noticed them or even so much as questioned them. It was as though they were both invisible; either that or the researchers and workers were a lot more oblivious than they thought.

It was only until they stepped out the front door that Lelouch began to question his companion's motives.

!Author Note: you've been warned!

Hello everyone! I know it's been awhile since I've updated, and I'm sorry for the delay, but I hope you have all enjoyed this new chapter (along with all the updates made to the last ones), and I hope you all continue to read. I would also like to thank PXLight for all the help as well aschichi511 and Lord Lelouch and everyone else who as added this story to favorites, thank you all for your support.

*bows* you all deserve cookies and some of my sisters cakes. Also, I would like to ask for anyone still reading (or just now reading) to tell me what you think, it would greatly help us in the continuation of this story ^^ and make me want to update faster, which is a good thing for you, not so much for PXLight, and fairly annoying to my parents, but it's the readers that count ^^ *bows* thank you all so much for the support!


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** _I own nothing but the Times and Sent_

**Chapter 4: Sending off a friend**

All around depicted of the presence of the sun and sky, trees and bushes, wind and motion. All was at peace, but that's not what C.C. wanted.

For if all was at peace, then that meant either…

A.) Time had left her in her sleep

or  
B.) He was sleeping on the job.

These options did not appeal to her, but then again, neither did Time's smile or his habit of slightly complaining to himself which she had indeed noticed him doing so the night before. So C.C., slightly troubled at the silence, slowly sat up and glanced around the clearing.

Fire out, fish left for the birds, and no sign of any body having slept close to her; option A seemed the most likely. That is until Time walked into the clearing with a dazed look on his face. C.C. cleared her throat to gain his attention, his eyes at once clearing up and shinning with warmth

"Ah, you're awake!" he seemed to cheer up quickly, a slightly more jubilant pounce in his step as he walked towards her.

"_Weird."_ C.C. thought, her eyes scanning his figure for any physical change.

"Like what you see?" smirked Time, a giant grin on his face, that, for some reason unknown to her, C.C. knew was fake. She knew that grin, but did not know it. She could feel the sad and dark emotions beyond its depths, but could not recognize them, _"Truly odd._" was all she thought as Time told her of his findings.

"Not far from here" he proclaimed with a wave of his bandaged hand to the north, "is a small, abandoned town called Killist."

"Sounds like a town where murderers, convicts, and assassins live." C.C. claimed dryly, hoping her voice would distract him from her confused eyes.

"_I've never seen this place__."_ she thought "_And I've been all over the forest…"_ Her eyes turned to slits as the young man continued on about the state of the desolate town "_How far did he walk last night? …Did he leave his post!"_ Suddenly she stood up and flicked him on the nose.

"Don't ever leave without telling me again!" she commanded, causing Time to look at her both with confusion and with an anger that did not seem right on his face, but the anger vanished within seconds, which left her in a puddle of confusion that had deepened quite significantly. _"Did I really see that?"_ she asked herself as he stuttered.

"W-W-What was that for?" he cried, hands holding his nose, backing away as if to protect it from her wrath. That flick of the nose was a lot harder than he remembered anyone else doing it to him.

"You disobeyed orders." was her simple answer, hiding her shock at the anger that seemed to consume his eyes, turning them to slits and turning his every smiling mouth into a scowl.

"I take orders from no one." he growled, eyes flashing a different color too fast for her to catch, but she got the point, he truly wasn't normal. "And I really don't like to be touched." he added, anger calming as he took his hand away from his face.

C.C. only watched as the young man took a deep breath to calm down, understanding that perhaps, although he should gain better control over his anger, she did overstep her bounds. They had just met after all. However, something about him made it impossible to not tease him.

"You touched me." she remarked with a smirk, causing Time to sniff, his eyes back to their kind and slightly mischievous manner.

"So?" he responded with a cross of the arms. "If you had gotten angry at me, I would have stopped, but you didn't so much as move to remove my hands until several minutes later."

Perhaps she had lost this duel, but she refused to give up "And?" she began in a mimic in a voice that was apparently supposed to be a falsetto of Time's, but in a slightly higher tone which was done to purposely mock the young man. "At least I don't sneak around at night like some sort of crazed pervert."

Time stayed silent, his amethyst eyes staring at her blankly until he finally got it "Damn!" he suddenly yelled, smacking himself in the face, quickly turning around to where he came he called back "Get ready, princess! I promised someone that we would help them."

"Since when do you have the right to promise my help to anyone?" she questioned coldly, although her feet moved her to his side.

"Since you had the right to order me around!" he smiled. "Let's go, sis!" he cried before running off into the woods.

"_Sis?"_ she thought confusedly, only to realize Time was going to leave her behind if she did not hurry up. "Make way for your elders!" she cried as she ran after him.

**Killist**

The place was dark, as if all light seemed to avoid the town. But even that was not entirely right. Small white flowers grew along the roads, around the houses, gardens, farms, and they gave off a ghostly light, enough to see, but only as if you walked in a dream.

If the flowers moved in the wind, so did the light, and this served only to make the town seem more haunting, for the world seemed to waver and shift, ripple and spin, mesh and split all at once.

C.C. stood with Time at the entrance, no one was in sight, no noise beyond their breathing heard, for even the movement of the plants and wind seemed none existent, but their effects could be seen everywhere.

"Why are we here?" C.C. asked, her eyes scanning the town with slight curiosity as Time walked forward, his eyes determined and smile ever present.

"To help a friend" he replied with a tone that told her that he would speak no more. Although curios she did not question further, for her heart trusted him, and besides, it's not like he could kill her.

aaaaa**15 minutes later**aaaaa

They walked in silence to the center of town, seeing no one. But Time stopped in the middle of the square, and before she could ask a young girl appeared out of the air, her body completely transparent and her stomach cut open.

The girl looked out of place in the town, even if at one point she had been alive, she could not have been from Killist. For the town, from the looks of it, and C.C.s' interpretation, was a place of necromancers and thieves, corrupt wizards and criminals running from the law.

This girl was no such thing, for even though C.C. had seen killers look just as innocent as her, none of them could fake the tears that streamed down her face at seeing Time, or even imitate to way she ran (floated) to him with such distress and happiness mixed on her face, and no criminal could pull off looking sweet and cute with a torn open stomach, ripped out eyeball, and shredded arm.

"It's alright" Time whispered softly to the girl in his arms, as though his original jerk at the contact was nothing, petting her hair soothingly, his eyes gentle and loving "Sshh… everything will be alright"

C.C. did not understand what was going on, but seeing Time like that; although it reinstated her confidence in him and trust that he will not go beyond being friends with her, she couldn't help but tease him yet again. "Another sister?" she said with a sly smile, causing Time to look up. "How many do you have lining up at your feet?"

Instead of Time, it was the girl who replied "About any girl he sees he considers his sister." she said while whipping her eyes, one hand still holding Time's shirt.

"Don't tell her that!" he jokingly said, eyes thanking C.C. for distracting the girl.

"But it is true!" said the girl, a bright smile lighting her torn face and making her seem almost alive, if it wasn't for the hanging eye.

"He's that perverted?" C.C. asked, raising a delicate eyebrow, her golden eyes glancing at Time mockingly.

"No." said the girl with a shake of her head, her smile growing brighter "But he does tend to walk in on baths."

"Really?" questioned C.C. both eyebrows raising, watching as Time blushed and turned his head away, "How many times?"

"Ummm…" began the girl, slowly counting on her fingers, she got up to eight before Time interrupted.

"Sorry to interfere with this rather interesting conversation, but we have yet to introduce you two."

C.C. hide a chuckle behind her fist as the girl looked back at him in shock "You're right!" the little girl cried, her eyes widening before she turned back to C.C. and bowed. "The name's Sent, but my friends call me Sen."

"The names C.C." she replied in turn, bowing her head before asking a personal question. "Why were you asking for help?"

Sent fidgeted for awhile before her face set, with head held high she said "I would like to be sent to the other side."

C.C. stared for only a little, already having whished for death herself, but she couldn't help but let her eyes wonder to Time. _"How would he deal with it?"_ she thought, only then realizing that this was, perhaps, the reason for his journey. _"But then why did he look confused when he realized the town was here? …Perhaps he didn't know?"_ but looking at him talking with Sent she couldn't help but think that that wasn't the case, _"No, he knew it was here…" _she looked to Sent, sadness in her eyes, _"But he didn't know that she was."_

"C.C." called Time, hand waving in front of her face, "It's time to get started!"

"Started?"

"Yeah, you're going to help with the exorcism right?"

"Do I look like I know anything about that?" she protested, but seeing his saddened face, she relented. After all, it was never easy to send off one of you loved ones, and it would be harder in this desolate place or illusion and fear.

"Fine" she sighed exasperatedly in defeat, her green hair falling in front of her eyes as she followed behind the two.

aaaaaa**Catt Mais**aaaaaa

The place Sent lead them to was lit by floating lotuses, each one giving off a pulsing light of different color. To C.C., the house looked like a messed-up coloring book; to Time it looked slightly like home; and to Sent, it looked like hell.

They walked up the creaking stairs, turned several wobbly corners, crossed sections of floor that wasn't even floor but floating water with melted piranha swimming in it depths.

They passed hanging skulls, mis-shaped cathedral windows that lead to blackened churches now full of corpses and dust.

Once they passed through all that, they had to walk up a giant spiraling stair case; no rails were placed on the sides of the small steps, no floor seen under them, even upon the first step there was no floor, only swirling colors and phantom faces and searching hands.

How this place was good for exorcism, C.C. would never know, but she felt no danger in the place… at least not immediate.

And so on they walked.

They walked so far that she, in all her patience, began to feel just about as impatient as a child. However, she was forced to hold it all in to simply retain her image as a mysterious woman. She could hardly show emotion which could reflect weakness, but at the same time, the boredom due to the monotonous walking was almost too much to bear.

Before she could open her mouth when she had reached the pinnacle of her patience, a door appeared before them all; its silver arches never changing color forever constant in the chaos of the house. The door was decorated not with jewels or angels, but in skulls, and skins, faces stretched out upon its surface.

The other two did not look shocked, if anything, they looked relived, as if they had been afraid that it would not be there. What this "it" was, C.C. did not remember, but she had a guess, and if it was correct, she did not want to go near that thing until she was with Lelouch again.

Sent walked towards that door, a smile as radiant as the sun lighting her face. However, C.C. could no longer see the girl as human; not while standing near that _**thing**_, not while having such a happy face in front of the bodies of so many tortured and killed. _"But then, I suppose when the time comes for Lelouch and I to enter that door, we won't look human either."_

"If all you need to do is to get to the door, why did we have to come along?" she asked at last, tearing her eyes from the grotesque, yet beautiful, door.

The smile that she received in answer sent shivers down her spine, "I didn't want to go alone" Sent admitted, her hand outstretching toward both C.C. and Time, "Will you not join me?" she asked innocently, her fallen eye coming to life and moving towards Time, wrapping itself around his neck like a scarf and staring at him. "You'll come at least, right brother?"

He did not bother to answer, to C.C. his seemed to age before her very eyes, no longer was he a young man, but an ancient one, his eyes looking so sadly at Sent, as if asking her to stop, that C.C. realized that perhaps he knew this would happen all along.

Sent did not like the answer, or the lack thereof, her eye tightened its grip on his neck. But as she did that the faces on the door gained eyes and smiled sinister smiles. It was then that C.C. realized why they had to come along, _"to act as her trial"_, the living were brought to test the dead, to see if they still cling to life, if they are selfish and cruel.

And Sent was going to fall into hell if she continued.

But C.C. made no move to intervene, she was only brought here to help with what ever happened afterwards, not stop her from killing him, which was Times job.

As if hearing her thoughts Time grabbed the eye and pulled, making Sent scream. She reeled back into the door, the mouths opening to let meaty tongues lick her back. She screeched at the touch and fell forwards, once again in Time's arms, once again sobbing as she clutched his shirt, burying her face into his chest.

C.C. watched it all with hidden shock, her golden eyes widening as the eyes on the door pulsed red, a constant red, a deadly red, a haunting red. At the cracks of the door she could see shadowy hands slithering forward, reaching towards the pair, mouths in their palms, tongues infested with bugs of all sorts, causing C.C. to turn away for a second.

When she turned back to the scene the hands were almost upon the two and Sent was trying to shove her eye down Time's throat. If it wasn't for the dire situation she would have laughed or screamed in disgust. "Look out!" she called too late, the hands descending upon Sent in an instant, tearing her from Time's arms and ripping her clothes, the tongues dancing down her skin as she screamed to be let go, her hand outreaching, begging for help.

Time ran to Sent and tried to grasp her hand, but the hands that were not used to grab her grabbed him and kept him in place, their tongues dancing on his clothes and skin just as they did for Sent, but he did not seem bothered, only annoyed, not sickened, but understanding, and it confused C.C. to no end.

But she did not move to intervene, for if the hands were to grasp her she feared they would take her from this would, and she would lose any chance of seeing Lelouch again.

Sent continued to scream and struggle, even while Time instructed her not to. He told the door that he forgave her, that it wasn't her fault, and that the loneness just got the better of her. The door did not listen, laughing instead at his pleas to go easy on her.

Tears of agitation and grief mingled together on his face, he had been hoping to avoid this; he had hoped that she could stay strong, that she would come back to her senses.

But even as the hands pulled her back she sent her eye to touch him, and wrap itself around his neck once more, but the hands kept it at bay, and in anger they ripped it completely from her, a blood curdling scream following soon after.

There was nothing that could be done to save this girl, C.C. knew, but even she, with her short time of knowing her, felt the sudden urge to run to her side and protect her. Perhaps this girl did not belong in Killist before she died, but after death she did, and that was the only thought that kept both C.C. and Time from recklessly rushing into the door to grab her hand and fall into the depths of hell with her.

As Sent's screams faded into the eternal lands behind the door the hands retreated, although only after giving Time soft caresses that he didn't bother to shake off, C.C. felt uncomfortable just watching.

"Shall we go?" She asked once all the hands had left and the door had gone back to normal. The only answer she received was a nod of the head. Time's hair fell before his eyes for only a little before he gave her a strained smile "You remember the way down right?"

"Of course. I am royalty after all" she joked before slowly leading the way down the stairs.

aaaaaa**NOTE**aaaaaa

Thank you all so very much for reading *bows* and I hope you all have come to understand that I tend to edit the chapters randomly, making them better and so on, so even though I have posted a chapter, please be sure to go back to it at latter times to see any of the changes (although one and two are most certainly finished)


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** _I own nothing besides the Times and Sent._

**Chapter 5: Dreams**

_She stood before the door, silky hair falling before her tear-worn eyes, crystals as pure as newborn snow falling down her cheeks with the grace of a river._

_Behind her was the bloody corpse of Rune, the scientist, teacher, clock maker, the leader, and the kind friend. _

_But, perhaps bloody was not the right term, for blood only seeped from his stomach, through the threads of the clothes that adorned his fragile body, and then to the floor; it almost seemed to resemble the legs of creeping spiders. And like spiders, it was small and hard to see, but once spotted, it was simply horrid, deadly, painful, and sad._

_So perhaps is was indeed bloody, and then again, perhaps not. It all depends on if the viewer has seen the spider of blood. Perhaps they had known of how the brown hairs were once braided in life; though while in death, they spread limp below his body as a carpet, a catcher of the blood and tears and rain._

_Perhaps it seemed bloodier because of the redness under the eyes; traces of tears once spilt but now hidden with the blood and rain. And perhaps it was because of how the glowing green eyes no longer glowed, and the red hand prints deeply etched into its neck and skin._

_Perhaps it was due to all of this that she found the corpse bloody, but she did not dwell on it for long because her love beckoned beyond the door of silver arches and stretched out faces. _

aaaaa**Wake**aaaaaa

"Hello?" called a voice strikingly familiar as C.C. turned in her sleep "Breakfast is ready, Your Highness!" the voice called again as she clenched her eyes shut, pulling the pillow over her head to block out the sound.

"_Wait! A pillow?"_ she thought in shock as she jumped out of bed "_A bed?"_ Her inner voice cried, although when Time walked into the room she turned to look at him with a calm and steady face. "Killist?" she asked with a raise of the eyebrow.

With only a nod and a sad smile in response, she walked out to get some food.

"What type of food is this?" she asked with a wrinkle of her delicate nose, dully noting how normal the inside of the house looked.

"Don't know." Time replied as he walked up beside her "It was the only thing in the cabinets…"

"Smells like body parts." C.C. muttered under her breath as she moved to get a chair.

"Wouldn't surprise me if it was." replied Time as he walked out of the room.

"Aren't you eating?"

"I already did."

"_But I've never seen it." _thought C.C., remembering the fish left to the birds. But she remained quiet and picked up the gold fork left out for her. "D_efinitely thieves…" _she thought, then glanced at the food "…_and most certainly corrupt wizards."_

Before her was a plate, which really wasn't a plate but the crown off some poor fool's head, and several globs of…something.

One glop seemed to be purple with things that resembled eyes floating and turning inside it as if they had a life of their own. Another glop looked green and produced bubbles at random, a few air bubbles popping at the surface forming faces of different kinds. She didn't bother to look at the others. Instead she stood up and rushed to where Time stood in a flash.

Commanding, she said "Never offer me something like that again." Time only laughed, amethyst eyes appearing black in the light.

"Alright sis, but you better wake up when I do, less that be all you get."

"I can cook." she sniffed, although in all her years she never did she wouldn't starve to death after all. If Time saw through this he did not show it. He simply looked to the front door and asked "Ready to go?" despite the fact that he didn't really need an answer.

The two walked through the chaotic waves of color and shape without a word. Not because C.C. wished not to speak, but because Time looked about to weep. However, it wasn't in the way that most people looked, but the way a knight or a king may look when someone precious was lost but they refused to show the pain, for fear of it breaking those under him.

"Yo?" Time called, waving a hand before her face, his smile back "We're here."

C.C. looked up at the portal-like door and nodded her head. "Let's leave this place." she said before marching towards the door, leaving Time shaking his head.

aaaaaa**Glimpse**aaaaaa

Going through the portal into Killist had been ordinary. In fact, she hadn't even noticed it, which is what threw her off so much about the change in scenery.

But going out was different. C.C. felt like her body was forcing itself through a giant slime puddle; a long slime puddle that squeezed her chest and made it hard to breathe… not that she did for fear of obtaining the slime up her nose and perhaps in her mouth. Ingesting the substance was not on her to do list.

By her side stood Time, although she could not see him within the darkness. She could feel his every move vibrate within the slime "_Jello?"_ she thought rather dully as she moved forward.

Before she reached the end, for, strangely enough, it could be seen ahead, she was blinded with light, a call of her name…

"Lelouch!"

And then there was nothing.

aaaaaa**White Field**aaaaaa

Up, above, around, it was all white, white, white, and white. How she hated the color, though that would be incorrect because white wasn't even considered a color at all but rather a shade. She hated it so much that she glared into the emptiness with eyes aflame and she stomped her foot just so, a ripple appearing as a result and growing rapidly throughout the field.

She was not deterred by this however and began to softly stomp repeatedly. Her mouth formed a firm line as her eyes smirked in joy at disturbing this ever white place.

It was in this stomping that she began to wonder of Time's state and of where she was. That is until she heard "C.C.!" her inhumane name cried out by a voice that could have only been from her love. But when she glanced around she found nothing and when she tried to move toward the sound she found she could not move from her spot.

If it wasn't against her personality, she would have growled. Instead, she called back. "Lelouch!" Her voiced seemed to echo on for miles and miles through the endlessly white abyss.

At first, the voice simply died off and C.C. could only stand there in utter defeat. It wasn't a stretch to think that everything was hopeless and she would probably die in this stupid position, unable to move or shift her fate aside from tapping her foot and causing ripples in the dumb monotonous scenery.

Then something strange happened. A sift, a move not of her own will, had formed. The place was still white, the ripples still existing, but before her were two figures: one Lelouch and the other someone she felt she knew.

On the figure's face, there were no eyes, but she felt that if there were they would have frozen on her in stiff remembrance. And if the color of the hair was able to be defined, she would have moved forward in shock.

If she could just remember the tune of the flute that seemed to be fixed in the figure's every movement, as if the music made up his very being, she would have asked it hundreds of questions and stopped to weep in long forgotten pain.

As it were, she did none of this, for the face was blank, the color of hair indefinable, and the tune of the flute permanently forgotten.

Instead she ran to Lelouch, for what held her still before was now long gone.

Lelouch turned to her with a tired smile, but with pure life shinning in his eyes, his arms held open to embrace her…

aaaaaa**Reality**aaaaaa

She shot up off the ground at the sound of a high pitched squeal. C.C. parted as she glanced around searching for her love, but found Time grumbling by a tree, eye to his flute with his bandaged hand to his hip. "What was that?" scorned and questioned C.C., two meanings in one phrase.

"Something got stuck in my flute." answered Time, shaking said instrument, "And the glob felt your strong desire to see that love of yours and took your mind over to see him."

She stared for but awhile, "I never told you I wanted to see him." she stared blankly, causing Time to raise an eyebrow "When does a love-struck girl need to tell anyone she misses her love?"

At her continuous staring, he could only laugh. "Doesn't this bring back memories?"

"I didn't tell you what I saw."

"…You called out your lover's name."

"I never told you his name."

Time's smile gained an icy edge as he replied "My dear, I don't need to be told that this 'Lelouch' is your lover when you're calling his name in your sleep every night."

Before she could ask, he walked to the left and turned his back to her and said, voice as cheerful as usual "Well, because Her Highness is up, let's go."

She had no chance to question him before he set off into the woods. "Stupid." she muttered with allot less venom than she had been expecting. The events had finally begun taking their emotional toll.

Tears fell from her eyes like fluttering doves. "Lelouch…" she moaned in sadness, her hand still tingling from the bare touch of his hand before she awoke.

Time reappeared from the woods with a sigh, eyes once again aging as he glanced at the curled-up girl on the ground ."I promise." he began, eyes toward the sky as C.C. glanced up, "That if I am the last to survive, I shall dance upon your graves and celebrate you all as fools." Time looked back down at her, a sad grin stretching upon his face "That's an oath that I, along with several others, took a long time ago."

Perhaps it was because he stretched out his hand, or perhaps it was due to the heartfelt confession of even the littlest part of his past (something that even she had not shared), or perhaps it was because, if she listened closely, she could hear music in every one of his movements, but she took his hand with a smile and let him pull her up.

"Let's go." she said while whipping her eyes, a smile coming to her face "Last one there is a rotten egg!" she called before running off at full speed into the woods

"Y-You don't even know where we're going!" yelled Time running after her, he too grinning like a fool, but frankly he didn't care.

She didn't know why and C.C. doubted that she ever would, but this young man brought her back to her youth, to the time before her curse. He brought smiles to her face without ever having to do more than talk. He reminded her of…of…

C.C. paused in her running for a time, a frown on her face "_Of who?"_ she thought. "_He's not like Rune, not like Lelouch…"_

"Sis!" called Time from afar, causing her to jump, a smile springing to her face "You'll never catch me, you shrimp!" she called back without knowing why, but she didn't care.

She was happy.

aaaaaa**Memoir**aaaaaa

_The sun shone with a pale glittering light, reflecting off the crystal flowers, dancing upon my brother's face as he glanced about the lake. _

_He was new to the family and not really my brother, but his innocent smile could make anyone fall in love immediately, so, as it were, I had dubbed him my brother, although I had done so far before the time my parents took him in (for I had seen him on a trip to the store one day, hidden in the shadows). _

_Beyond his glittering eyes that would, in all right, belong to fallen angels, I could see, unlike all others, that he held secrets as dark and deep as the blackest abyss. _

_And in his words I could hear the hidden music beyond the original tone and I do remember quite well how his fingers traced the keys of the piano as if it were a long, lost friend. _

_However, I do not quite remember with certain quality what tune it was he played that day, but I feel as if I must, that I should. _

_I feel as if that melody, once remembered, would explain everything there is to know about my mysterious brother, and find away, perhaps, to remove that sadness from his eyes. _

_But I also feel a sudden chill as I look back upon that day; what else about it have I forgotten? What more could I possibly forget?_

_But I dare not ask him, no, never ask, for I fear one step in the wrong direction, one wrong move upon my part, and he would break into a thousand pieces like frosted glass upon the silver night. And just like so, I could feel the danger etched into that fallen form, knowing full and well that that glass would find hidden power within itself to create a whirlwind of pain and suffering for those who dared to break his heart and trust and love. _

_Do I truly dare to gain the heart of such a dangerous but sweet being? Do I dare place myself upon such a dangerous edge in which one wrong move could mean my ultimate death, my untimely end?_

_I suppose it matters not how I answer the question for I have already done so before knowing such stakes, but I dare not back down, not now, not ever, for this child laughing and dancing among the crystal flowers, with lights reflecting off his being giving him an angelic but deadly glow, is now my brother, my precious family. It no longer matters how dangerous he may be for I would take any risk for this child._

_I just do so hope that this does not turn out for the worse. Please, my precious Lelouch, my neighbor and friend, give me strength. For I fear that I must go see Morganna for the answers and this mortality of mine posses a hindrance. Please Lelouch! Lend me strength and love for I fear that upon this trip I may never see you again. _

_Sincerely,_

_XXXXX_

!Author Note: You've been warned!

Thank you all for your responses! ^^ And see, Lelouch did appear in this chapter, so please calm down! Geez! Time's important too, you know (both of them), not as important as Lelouch to you, but to the mystery of things. Anyhow, I do so promise that the next chapter will be about Lelouch! *bows* Thank you all so very much! If you have any tips to make any parts of the story better please tell me. Also, be sure to thank PXLight, without PX, this story wouldn't be as good as it is! ^^ Once again, thank you all so very much!


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer**_: I own nothing but the Times and Cold_

**Chapter 6: Words beyond the music**

Lelouch stared, and stared, and stared. His amethyst eyes bore holes into the back of Time's skull; not that she cared as she hummed her silly tune. "Where are we going?" he asked finally, although that was not the real question he really wanted answered.

Time simply smiled to him over her rear view mirror, hands gripping the black wheel as they drove down the road. '_Is this even safe?'_ his mind calmly asked despite the fact that he had already made up several scenarios of their death.

"We're going to a town called Filligin. It is south of here and to close to Killist for comfort but it has the best doctors of all time"

For some reason to Lelouch it sounded as if she was bragging.

"My oldest son is one of those doctors, you know." she continued, eyes back on the road but voice dancing and flipping in the air like overly chirpy birds.

"_That explains it…"_ Lelouch thought, his eyes alight in satisfaction. _"Now there's another mystery solved."_

"His name is Cold."

"I'm sure that despite whatever you named him, he'll probably be a kind-hearted person." he responded without thought; a rarity for him. Even he was a tad bit surprised.

Or a tad oblivious.

Time only laughed, her voice seemed to change from chirpy birds to laughing hyenas, "That IS his name, silly." she said, and although her voice seemed ordinary on the top layer Lelouch could practically see the hyenas circling round him, ready to pounce. "Not that the title is cold but 'Cold' is the actual name in and of itself."

Lelouch sighed exasperatedly. "Whatever." he said calmly, all the while wondering if her voice actually had the power to create things or if he was just imagining the hot breath coming out of the beast's mouths. "I'm still overly anticipating our encounter." As he delved into his thoughts of his companion's voice, he realized something. "Why do you not like the fact that it is close to this 'Killist'?" Lelouch asked although he really didn't care, he'd do almost anything to get rid of the blasted illusions.

"It a town of killers and thieves." she growled without much hesitation "…and my youngest offspring made the worst of friends there."

Once again her voice turned to dragons and raging fire at the mention of her youngest son. However, Lelouch was already so used to the strangeness of Time's voice that he didn't even flinch. Instead he raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "_If she hates him so much, why does she keep mentioning him?"_ he inwardly asked.

"Who did he become friends with?" he asked more openly.

"A door"

Both of Lelouch's eyebrows shot up and his stare took on a bewildered gaze.

"A… door?"

"Gate, passage, archway, whatever the hell you want to call it, but yes, a door."

"…Alright then…"

His tone hung off the phrase, but he did not question, he did not even laugh at the sheer ridiculousness of it, nor did he chock in surprise. Instead Lelouch simply nodded his head with a great confidence that he did not feel and replied, "I feel your pain."

"You should." she snapped, her voice turning into whirlwinds. "But that doesn't matter." her voice called out in a brief cry, storms transforming into cart-wheeling fish. "My precious Cold will be able to help heal your wounds and ease the pain; he can do anything." she gushed.

"…_She's doing it again."_ he thought, eyes drooping and falling to gaze at his clasped hands, remembering all the other times she gushed to him about her eldest, not really caring that all she said was the same things over and over again_; he's kind, gentle, smart_. But Lelouch wasn't going to complain, for when she gushed her voice would always flow over him and send his mind to a peaceful slumber.

"…_My son…doctor…best…"_ she continued although Lelouch only caught crumbs of it for his eyes stared steadily gazing at his clasped hands until his eyelids finally drooped down and he was fast asleep along the rocking of the car.

aaaaaa**Dream**aaaaaa

_Once again he stood in a world of white, but his eyes did not gaze round and he did not bother to move. He knew, just as he did the first, that to do so would be pointless. _

"_Anyone there?" he called into the abyss, hoping slightly that the 'annoying' voice from before would show itself. _

_He was answered, but not by the person he expected. Or perhaps it was for the voice was indeed that same and the shape of the figure far too alike to be any mimic. But for some reason, seemingly unknown to this figure who appeared out of thin air, his feet remained above the ground with toes pointed down so that they grazed the surface. Small ripples appeared and vanished beneath its feet causing a slight tug from the depths of Lelouch's heart. _

_Lelouch noted with great struggle that the tug was not only that of remembrance (which he already found odd as he could see no defining points about this figure; still the same blank face and colorless body), but that of suffering. If Lelouch dared to dig deeper he would have wept._

_But, as it were, he refused and shut the door in his heart to such emotions. _

"_And you are?" he called, voice vibrating throughout the abyss._

_The figure did not answer; it only cocked its head to the side and pointed beyond Lelouch._

_Slowly, so that he may make sure that the figure did not try anything, Lelouch turned around, spinning and the balls of his feet._

_His eyes widened in shock as he saw the huge ripple coming his way. It was not huge in the sense of a tidal wave nor was it even huge in the ways of a small wave created when one leaves the bathtub, but it was huge. _

_Huge enough to destroy the stillness of the white field.  
Huge enough to nearly trip him._

"_Someone else is here?" Lelouch asked no one in particular, fairly sure that the figure would not respond. _

"_Indeed." it replied in such a way that made Lelouch think it was laughing at him._

"_Who is it?" he asked, not turning around again for fear of himself looking like a fool in front of someone so odd._

"…_Hmmm…" was the figures only response, music filing in behind the words, causing Lelouch to wonder why he did not notice it to begin with, only for him to shut off that train of thought when the door in his heart began to open._

"_C.C.?" Lelouch whispered as he listened, notes now traveling along the continuous ripples to form a song that was created solely for himself and "C.C.!" he called, taking a step forward, creating his own ripple that connected and meshed with those previous._

_All was silent for but awhile until a voice Lelouch knew so well called out to him. _

_And then she was standing before him. Her hair seemed to glow and her eyes looked lit with some new light and yet dimmed with some new experience. _

_She stood before him for a while, her eyes gazing at the figure before turning to Lelouch with a smile. She reached out for him as he opened his arms to embrace her, and then…_

aaaaaa**Reality**aaaaaa

"Crap!" Time yelled as she sent the car flying to the side of the road and throwing it into a complete stop, Lelouch knocking his head on the ceiling as he slowly came to.

"—What's going on?" he almost screamed in frustration, still feeling the touch of his love's hand upon his own.

"Damn truck near ran us over…!" she cursed, her voice turning to acid. Lelouch peeked over to the driver's side and found that he seemed to be the only one with a personage not reacting to what had just happened… despite the fact that there was only the two of them in there to begin with.

Time's knuckles were completely white as they grasped the steering wheel and her chest was now visibly going up and down quickly with each breath in succession. Her teeth were completely gritted as her entire body was tense; almost like a ticking time bomb. Either she had become paralyzed with fear or…

"_Note one,"_ Lelouch thought calmly. _"Time has a temper problem."_

"Who swerved into the other lane?" he asked as glanced out the window onto the freeway.

"Damn truck." Time muttered, not caring that all the cussing was ruining Lelouch's image of her.

"Does the car still work?" he asked, already preparing to get out of the car if he must

"Hell yeah." Time muttered with an annoyed tone, her voice suddenly turning into disgruntled cats that glared in all directions, making Lelouch wonder once again if he was drugged.

"Does your voice always do that?" he asked, for he could not truly remember if it was so in the lab, but then again, not many people pay attention to their surroundings when they're in pain and have had their eyes ripped out and punctured and had lights shown into them for whatever reason. He was just glad that he could rejuvenate now, although it did take a while.

"Do what?" she asked as she unbuckled and grabbed her purse.

"…Create things."

"What type of things?"

"…Animals…?"

"…"

"…"

"Perhaps I'm just tired."

"It's probably the drugs, dear."

But the way she said it made Lelouch question, that and the snakes that seemed to circle round.

"Maybe…"

They left the car in unison, both knowing that although it could still run it would not be wise to put this to the test on the freeway, and neither wanted to call a tow. Lelouch had no money, and Time had scammed all the companies at least once prior to when she thought she would actually need them to help her.

They both headed north along the road, not caring for the horns that blared at them as they passed by, and not really caring that someone might hit the car. Time had turned off the engine and had left no lights to warn of the rear bumper sticking out into the freeway. Not that it mattered; even if police tried to figure out who was in the car, there would be no evidence. Of course, Lelouch did not know this, but Time's confident smile made the question slip his mind.

"How far will it be till we reach there?" Lelouch asked as he ignored the tenth car full of women calling him.

"About two days at this rate." called back Time while ignoring the cars full of men cat-calling her.

"_Then this is as good a time as any other..." _Lelouch thought while taking a deep breath "Why did you save me? What's in it for you?"

At first Time tried to act as if she didn't hear him, and when asked again she tried to get as far ahead as possible so that she _couldn't_ hear him. She had been hoping that the question wouldn't be brought up or that if it was, she would find a witty quip to volley it away and avoid it. But even in his banged-up state, wounds, although steadily healing much faster than ordinary humans, aching, sight slightly blurry in the night and legs still awkward from lack of use, Lelouch managed to keep up.

"Why?" he asked again as he managed to keep a steady pace behind her.

"Why not?" she shot back, voice turning into a whip of wind that slapped him across the face, which hurt far more than some drug-induced illusion.

"Because I'm an experiment kept by one of the most powerful companies in the world, because you could get killed, because you could have your family destroyed, because I'm someone you don't even know?"

Time did not answer; she only looked ahead, eyes seeming to flash some color far too fast for his eyes to catch. But that only made the questions start to pill up in Lelouch's head, even ones he had not considered in his poor state.

Why had they not been stopped? Surely the security of one of the most powerful companies in the world would have been much tighter. Not only that, but how did Time get the keys? The pass? Why was she talking to him? Did she only talk to him? Why did they let her? Did they even know?

...Why weren't they being hunted down? They just managed to escape one of the top companies unhindered; they dragged mud all over the companies' good name and efforts; why where they not attacked?

Lelouch's stare increased its intensity and he stopped walking, firmly planting his feet into the ground, not caring that they were still on the freeway or that he could be run over.

Time stopped as well, hair enshrouding her eyes in shadows, a dark wind enveloping the land and all of time seeming to stand still.

"Why did you stop?" a voice full of venom and acid taking wing as dragons in the blackened night.

"I won't move until you give me straight answers." Lelouch said undeterred, showing no disturbance in his face, but inside he stared in shock at the power.

"Then you won't be moving for a long time." She all but sneered the dragon's breathing flames of blue that brushed his hair and made it wave with the black wind. "Unlike my youngest," she continued, flames covering the sky, "I don't accept questions."

Lelouch could not help but wonder at the mention of the youngest one again, along with the threat and the sudden change of mood. He did not question the dragons or the way others did not notice the fiery beasts, he had grown too used to the strangeness of her voice.

And that's how they stood for a while; Lelouch's challenging gaze never wavering and Time never turning round.

"Answer me." Lelouch pushed, eyes glaring and shinning a familiar glowing purple.

"I told you not to ask questions." Time said all too chirpy, one of the dragons smashing their tails down with such force that it cracked the concrete and sent the pieces flying past Lelouch, scratching his cheek.

"No." he answered, once again in the role of a king. "You simply said you do not accept them. However…." and here, his glare gained so much power that Time couldn't help but flinch "…You will answer mine."

aaaaaa**Memoir**aaaaaa

_The sky is dark today and although it is warm enough that the flowers had wilted, I feel a shiver flow through my spine. Perhaps it has to do with the boy; the one who stares at me from the dark with glowing eyes. The one whose very smile made her happy, made _them_ happy, but sent fear racing through my veins._

_Do not get me wrong, this fear is not due to his personality, his appearance, or even his oddness. _

_This fear is not truly of him, but of what follows him_, _of what comes after him, of what lies in his eyes, of the truths hidden there, of those who would do anything for those truths. _

_I wish, sadly but truly, that they had never come upon this boy that she had never grown attached to. _

_They are such kind people, gentle and caring, and, admit ably, the boy does fit in with them with such ease that it seems he was there forever and I do feel a pull at times to love him as my own brother._

_However, this does not change the oddness of his eyes or of his place and name. _

_The shiver still lingers now, but it is not about the boy or his oddness or those that follow in his wake, but of something else, something more important. _

She's_ about to do something stupid, something recluse, something that will change things for the worse. _

_Although the day is hot, although the flowers wilt, although the sky is dark, I feel a shiver run through my spine once again and I know that I must go to her at once, less I lose her for eternity. _

_Please C.C., do not know anything of stupidity, do not leave to seek information that would better be left alone, do not seek the boy's salvation._

_He will bring about your end._

_Sincerley_

_Xxxx_

!**Author note**: **you've been warned**!

^^ Hello to one and all! Thank you all so very much for sticking with us! If you have any comments on the story please say it, even if it is criticism please shot away, we'll use it to make the story better. ^^ Once again, thank you all very much for all your support and for being so patient with PXLight and I.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer_**:**__ I own nothing but the Times_

Chapter 7: Meetings and Pain

Perhaps it had not been in his best interest to push Time so far and perhaps it was not the most brilliant idea in the world to stop in the middle of the freeway wounded and drugged with a woman who could create dragons that no one else could see.

Perhaps this should have all disturbed him and make him wonder about his life's longevity, but it did not.

Lelouch only stared, his eyes glowing with an old light that once held so much power but now held naught compared to the tremendous and powerful voice of the one before him.

However, this did not deter him for he had already died once before; even so, he wished not to die again, so perhaps this move was rather stupide of him.

But Lelouch was never stupid.

"Answer me." Lelouch almost growled; eyes narrowing as their inner light radiated within the dark.

Time only stared back at him, a smile on her face that was full of too much kindness and innocence to truly belong to her, no, not her, but perhaps her youngest son Lelouch thought, although he knew not why.

"I do not see why I should." was her calm reply, small fish dancing around her figure as the dragons raged before him.

The fish where no longer the same as before, a thing that Lelouch noted with only a slight pang of disgust; they were now bones and hanging flesh, intestines slipping through the holes of flesh and bone and leaking from their sides.

Any other man would have turned tail and run at this point seeing as there was nothing that could be done about the power of the one before them or even about how the time of the world stilled and vanished, but Lelouch, being far smarter even in his drugged and battered state, already knew that he had no reason to run or hide.

For although Time held the most power between the two, she could not kill him.

She needed him.

For what Lelouch did not know, but that was what he planned to find out which is why he pushed again "Why did you save me?"

Times smile grew into a full blown grin, her eyes shining in aggravation "I told you to shut up~!" she sing-songed, the dragons stepping closer and forming a circle around Lelouch as he glanced about them.

"You did no such thing." Lelouch snapped, angry and tired and hurt "You only stated that you disliked a question. That is, by no means, an order to shut up."

A mistake, Lelouch realized as the dragons opened their mouths, blue flames gathering into balls of light within; a big mistake.

He glanced at Time quickly, hoping that this was some sort of joke. But her grin held teeth and her posture that of someone beyond conversation.

And as he looked in Time's face, Lelouch felt fear race through his veins, a fear that he had not felt in so long since the time of his original death at the hands of that monster/thing/creature.

Time's eyes glowed white, the palest, brightest white he had ever seen; as white as the field in his dreams, as empty, as sad, as lonely and bleak. And he could not move.

He tried with all his might to move out of the way of the blue flames that the dragons had then launched, to roll or duck, but he simply could not move, not even his eyes could move from where they rested upon Time's empty white ones. He couldn't even scream in pain as the heat began to melt his skin, his eyes filling with tears that were evaporated within an instant of their arrival.

He thought he was going to die.

And perhaps he would have.  
No; not perhaps.

It was a fact that he would if it had not been for the arrival of blackness; the arrival of…something. What it was Lelouch could not tell instantly; panting due to excruciating inner pain and a wave of relief washing over him as he soon found he was finally able to move. The dragon's heat somehow dispersed and the dragons themselves gone without a trace.

The blackness did not stay for long within his vision, seconds after its appearance he could see all the colors that it had swallowed in its wake. Not only that, but he could hear the traffic move once more hear the horns honking and the people calling.

He looked up hesitantly, fearing Time's eyes and their color, but what he saw instead through him for a loop; a rather large one at that.

Before him stood a boy slightly smaller than himself, but then again perhaps he was a man for Lelouch really couldn't tell from only a view of the back. Within that person's hands was an oddly shaped sword seemingly made from intertwined hands of the blackest color with their palms facing outward, mouths nestled within their palms set in demonic grins.

But the oddest thing, strangely enough, was not so much the person's presence of the appearance of the sword within his hands, but the magnificent scythe held by Time that clashed with the sword and pushed against it.

Lelouch could only stare in wonder as the two traded a few blows before separating, the figure jumping back to stand directly before Lelouch. But this is not what disturbed him. No, not even a little, for the figure he felt he could trust.

It was the fact that Time's eyes were still white, it was the fact that her grin still held teeth, it was the fact that her fish seemed to dance with sadistic glee as she licked her scythe, making him notice for the first time the deep gash in the figures side and the blood that slowly feel to the ground about his feet.

"Well, well, well" Time purred, sending shivers down Lelouch's spine. "Look what the cat dragged in." Her teeth became more pronounced as she cocked her head to the side, eyes shining with a new intensity causing the white to consume all of her face besides her mouth "It's been a while." and here the figure moved only slightly backward "Time."

With all the strange things that Lelouch had experienced in his life, he had been pretty confident that he could not be surprised by anything, but, not for the first time this day, he had been wrong. He blamed it on the drugs.

"Time?" Lelouch whispered questioningly, intending for neither person to hear, but the figure before him snapped his head back to look at him, amethyst eyes blazing in a light so similar to his own that Lelouch gasped.

"Yes?" the figure asked with a smile upon his lips that made Lelouch forget that they were in a rather dangerous situation "Does that mean you are Time's youngest?" Lelouch asked innocently, although upon utterance he realized how redundant it sounded, which was confirmed when the young man, for Lelouch now had a better look at him, chuckled.

The chuckle at once made him fell safely at home and in the presence of an enemy, a person that would cause damage to those he loved without any intention of the sort, but that fact, although questioningly known, did not soften his heart. In fact, Lelouch had every intention to harden his heart to this figure as soon as he heard the chuckle, as soon as he heard the music dancing behind it.

But when their small moment of peace was ruined by Time throwing her scythe at them and the other Time blocking it so that Lelouch may not get hurt, Lelouch was reintroduced to the blood dripping from the figure's wound as he pushed against the scythe his mother forced upon them.

Although Lelouch had suffered worse than the wound upon the youngest Time he had always been sedated when the scientists went that far; that and he was only lying on a table with his feet and hands strapped down, he did not have to move with the wounds he sustained, he did not have to fight. And it was these facts that stopped the inner unease at the sight of the young man from winning.

"Time!" Lelouch called out as the young man was sent flying back and into the concrete with such force that he coughed up blood.

"Damn…!" the youngest Time cursed as he used his sword to regain a standing position "At this rate, I won't be back in time to make Sis breakfast!"

Lelouch only stared, and stared, and stared.

The oldest Time only smiled, and smiled, and smiled.

The youngest stared back with a smile, raising his sword towards his mother as he held his wounded side with his bandaged hand "Well, Mother…" he called, a dark tune dancing behind every word, causing his mother to step forward in sadistic glee, hoping for more blood "This is goodbye!"

Before the eldest Time could even scream in refusal, and before Lelouch could so much as protest, the youngest quickly, with a speed that should have been unattainable, grabbed Lelouch's hand and teleported them away from the oldest Time, away from the freeway, the people, and the cops.

aaaaaa**C.C.**aaaaaa

She paced back and forth in the woods, her long hair leaving a glowing trail in her wake. Time and she had made camp a day ago in this clearing that was not so much a clearing as a small space around a tiny pond.

She sighed as her golden eyes glanced at the awakening sky "It's almost day." she said, crossing her arms and slightly tapping her foot "Where is he?"

C.C. did not become angry at Time as she paced the clearing, for he had told her that he had something to do this night, what it was he would not say but his mischievous smile told wonders, but she did get agitated.

"He better get here soon." she said to a random tree "Lest it be he who has to deal with no breakfast."

Speaking to the trees had become a habit of hers, as they were her only company. She had thought at first that Time would laugh at her for it, which is why she tried not to do so around him, but as he came back from gathering firewood he had heard her talking to them and had started the fire without a single sound. He had sat there listening to her for hours and not once did she notice, something that she is quite ashamed of, but he did not find the habit odd; only endearing. And he said nothing of it so she had begun to do so more frequently.

"He never eats his breakfast, you know." she continued as she turned on her heel "And I've never seen him eat dinner either." The forest seemed to laugh at her as she talked, the trees bending in the wind as if they were old men who found a joke far too funny for their old bodies to sustain the laughing "Don't mock me!" she called out while crossing her arms, only to slow down her pacing and blink "You are right though… I am talking rather oddly."

Before she could go any further into thought the sound of breaking branches came from behind her, with a sense of déjà vu she turned around.

"Lelouch?" she asked uncertainty as the figure moved to stand, but at the slightest glimpse of his face she smiled so brilliantly that the old trees had to bend backwards and she began to run around the pond to the other side "Lelouch!" she called again, this time with love and overwhelming happiness bubbling up within her.

Lelouch blinked and jumped up at the call, his face lighting up with love as he opened his arms to hug his beloved C.C..

The two stood for a while in each other's arms until Lelouch's legs began to buckle and he started to fall to the ground, C.C., quickly catching him, lowered him down softly.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly although her eyes clearly stated that she would beat him to a pulp if he did not tell her every last thing that pained him.

Lelouch sighed with a tired smile "I've been tortured, drugged, dragged, and nearly burnt to death, but I feel perfectly fine."

C.C. lightly slapped him upside his head "Don't joke like that!" she said with a frown "That's Time's job!"

Upon the utterance of the name both lovers blinked and said at once "Where's Time?"

"You know him?" they asked, again together

"Yes." they both replied as one

"He saved me." quickly explained Lelouch

"He walked in on my bath" said C.C. with a smile which turned into a grin as Lelouch's eyes narrowed.

''He did what?" he exclaimed with a tinge of anger.

"It was by accident, alright?" called a voice more familiar to C.C. than her love.

"It's about time!" she called back, "You have some extra work to do!"

Time did not answer. He did not need to, not when he walked into the clearing with blood oozing out of his side, arm twisted in an odd angle, and shoulder bleeding.

"What happened?" C.C. cried from her position, wishing at once to move to him and help him but her body refusing to leave Lelouch's side.

Time only smiled at her in response, eyes once again old for only a millisecond before they returned to their usual mischievous manner "Why hello, Lelouch." he said as a means of changing the subject while bowing his head "It's a pleasure to meet you properly."

Before Lelouch could reply C.C. covered his mouth with her own and then whispered in his ear "Shush, you can talk all you want later. Right now you need rest."

"Indeed." said Time with a giant grin "You two must want to make up for all the time lost. Put in your current condition, I'm afraid make-up sex will not be all that great."

"Time!" cried C.C. while she glared at him, so absorbed in his grin and words that she forgot about his wounds and never noticed the tune that seemed to swirl around his figure like a makeshift tornado.

"I'll make your beds and breakfast." Time said with a hop in his step, turning his back on her and leaving to get the supplies.

C.C. only sighed as her eyes traveled back to Lelouch, wondering why it was he had not spoken only to find that he had fallen fast asleep.

At the sight of his peaceful face she laughed angelically and traced his face with her pale hand "Lelouch." she whispered as she placed her forehead upon his "I will not lose you again."

Time stared at the scene from behind a tree with a strained smile, a small but bloody laugh leaving his mouth with chocked coughs in between "Honestly, Mother!" he said as he pushed himself away from the tree with his one good hand "If you want to stop time, you'll have to do better than that."

aaaaaa**Memoir**aaaaaa

_The days here are cold._

"_Why did they save such a disgusting child?" I hear people whisper as I walk by._

_Why is this place so cold? Why are the people so mean? Why do they think I'm disgusting? _

_Sister says I'm not; she says I'm normal. I want to believe her, I really do, but she also defends the mean people, she says they're not really mean at all, she says they simply do not understand, that they will in time, that they'll grow to love me like she does. _

_It's all lies though. They'll never accept me… no one ever does; not even Sister's best friend truly accepts me, or is it her boyfriend? _

_It matters not, really, for they'll all die in the end anyway. They always do, the people I get close to, the people who happen to live in the same place as I. _They_ don't care, not really, so long as I'm always alone by the end of it. _

_Always, always, alone._

_Mother once said that _they_ hunted me because I knew something and _they_ wanted that knowledge, but I don't believe that. If _they_ truly wanted it then _they_ could have stolen me on my birth. No one would have stopped them, not even Mother._

_Lies, lies, and more lies, that's all they tell me._

_Mother, Father, Brother, Sister, they all told me lies, and Sister, seeing as she's still alive, still does, she tells me that she loves me, and yet I see fear in her eyes, she tells me that she'd do anything to help me, and yet when she realized how dangerous I am she backed away from me when I wanted a hug. _

_Lies, lies, lies, they are all just a bunch of liars!_

_But what do I care? Really, I lie too. _

_Yes, I lie just as much as they, it's what they deserve after all, and besides, I'm disgusting right?_

_And disgusting creatures lie and cheat and steal and kill. _

_But sister lies and so do all the others, does that mean they're disgusting to?_

_But if they're disgusting just like I, why is it that we do not share the same fate?_

_Ah, right, cheaters, they cheat their way don't they? That's why _they're_ not after them, that is why their families are still safe. _

_But they won't be able to cheat for much longer, no, they'll all share in my fate, they must._

_The day's cold today, Sis, why is it so cold?_

_Ah, right, even if you answered it would only be a lie wouldn't it?_

_Sincerley_

_XXX_

!Author note: you've been warned!

Hello one and all! Thank you all so very much for your support and your patience, as you can see the lovers finally reunite in this chapter so you can stop begging now ^^ we'd still appreciate any feedback from all our readers ^^ so please feel free to say whatever you'd like about the story.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: own nothing but the Times

Chapter 8: Dreams are reality?

"Who are you?" asked Lelouch, eyes slanted to form a slight glare.

The three of them sat in a circle around the fire that Time had made, Lelouch having sat up, knowing that the questions would not be taken seriously with his head in C.C.s' lap. Time raised an eyebrow at the action, amused that an interrogation was about to take place, but said nothing.

The forest as a whole seemed amused at the three; their appearance and state so odd that the wind seemed to bark with laughter and the animals moved so silently, seeming to be watchers of a play, as the trees leaned towards them with startling grins.

Of the three C.C. looked the most normal, which isn't saying much, for with her almost glowing green hair and shinning gold eyes she seemed majestic, angelic, and all together to beautiful for the mortal realm.

Lelouch on the other hand looked drunk and sober, calm and angry, sleepy and awake; his hair was disarray, although in such a way that accented the curves of his face and gave his handsome face a boyish look. His clothes were ruffled and covered in dirt and his skin littered with scratches and burns from the other night, so although he could at once be seen by an outsider as handsome he could also be seen as ugly.

Time was the oddest looking, however, with pieces of torn cloth and leaves of some sort wrapped and tied around his stomach and shoulder; his unbandaged arm in a splint made from twigs and tied together by plant steams. His hair on the other hand looked perfect, making C.C. wonder if he sprayed it in place.

"I am Time"

"So is your mother"

"don't get mad at me, I'm not the one who decided to have the same name as her" huffed Time with his arms crossed, flinching slightly at the action and looking depressed as C.C. laughed at him "that's not nice sis" he almost whined, eyes alight with good humor as C.C. grinned back, causing Lelouch to blink in slight shock at not only the interaction and nickname, but the grin itself, it simply did not belong to the C.C. that he had known, and yet, it seemed so right, and made her already majestic face seem to belong to that of a goddess.

"Sis?" he questioned softly, wishing to be answered and yet fearing that the question would take away his loves smile.

He had nothing to fear he soon realized as C.C. burst out laughing and Time looked away with a slight blush.

"He calls any girl he meets sister" C.C. managed to say "and although he claims that he has no sexual feelings for any of his 'sisters', he has this wonderful habit of walking in on their baths"

"that is so not true!" yelled the blushing young man as Lelouchs' glare seemed to intensify to such a degree that made Time wonder if he was going to kill him right there "I did not walk in on Mia, or even Trina!...oh! I also did not walk in on Cate and Gita…or even Mistra!"

"Ah, yes" mocked C.C., this time her eyebrow shooting up "and how many more 'sisters' do you have?"

Lelouch watched the exchange silently, eyes sifting from one to the other as he tried to assess their current relationship and how that might affect anything. He did not fear C.C. betraying him, no, she had stayed loyal to him for over several life times and he could ask for nothing more from her, but he worried about his slight hatred towards Time and how, if not controlled, that might affect whatever journey they were going to be on.

"What about Sent, hu?" he heard C.C. say, but before Lelouch could even open his mouth to change the subject back the two turned as pale as ghosts. Lelouch did not bother to look at Time once the two suddenly became deathly quiet, instead he looked to C.C. and the quilt he say swimming within her eyes sent his already tried and drugged mind reeling '_what is going on here?'_

"I'm so sorry!" C.C. hastily said "I had no right to bring her up"

Time gave her a strained smile, Lelouchs' perceptive eyes telling him that a recent wound had just been picked open, what it was he did not know and he planned to know, but only after all his other questions were answered.

"Why are the two of you called Time?" Lelouch interjected before C.C. could say anymore.

The two looked at him, C.C. slightly incredulous and slightly thankful while Times eyes simply could not be read, not the Lelouch cared, but as he thought that he felt a sharp tug of pain in his heart, he had to admit it, he did care, but only slightly, just slightly, like one would care for the pet of his lover. Although this thought alleviated the pain it did not make it go away.

Time shook his head slightly "I don't know"

Lelouch stared for a while "or you do know but you refuse to say"

Time laughed, but although it sounded as if it was full of joy, if one listened closely they could hear the sad chime behind it "something like that"

"Is it because of your voices?"

C.C. looked at Lelouch oddly "what about their voices?"

Looking at her Lelouch said "when I was travelling with Time, the women, I noticed, quit roughly, that her voice could create things, and these things, say, for example, dragons, could actually burn you and crush the concrete"

C.C. blinked "is that how you got all your burns?"

"How about this" interjected Time "the two of you exchange stories, and then you can get on with the questioning"

The two took his advice and exchanged stories as he feed the fire, coughing every now and again but making sure to cover up enough sound that neither would turn around and notice the blood that came with them.

It took what seemed like hours to Time before they finished, and when they did he was halfway asleep, his first real nap in a few days, not that he'd tell C.C. or her crazy boyfriend that.

"Wake up nuisance" said C.C. from across the fire, not bothering to move even an inch from her loves side.

"Time for you to answer our questions"

"Great" Time yawned "then you can answer some of mine"

The lovers exchanged a look and then said as one "alright"

It was Lelouch who laid out the rules, he and C.C. would ask one question and then Time would ask his, simple and easy, even a cave man could do it.

Surprisingly it was C.C. who asked the next question "how did you know what the gate into Killist did to me?"

With this question asked Lelouch became truly grateful that they had exchanged stories first or he wouldn't know what she was talking about.

Time blinked "because I've been there before and it does that to everyone" he said slowly, making C.C. feel slightly awkward for asking the question.

"My turn" Time chirped after answering "what is your bra size?"

Lelouch and C.C. both wacked him for that, not noticing how his wounded shoulder and arm were jostled in the impact and not noticing how he bit his lip to keep from yelping in pain, not that they could anyway, with his head down and all.

"Okay, I'm next" calmly said Lelouch as he sat back down on his makeshift bed "why does your mother's voice create things?"

"How should I know" sighed Time, "magic?"

"Why do the two of you seem so connected with music?" went on Lelouch as Time starred "that's two"

"I know" stated Lelouch "but after that last question you're not getting any more"

Time stared, his eyes once again impossible to read "nope" he said as he cocked his head to the right "besides, we have company"

Was it odd that at those words the world around the lovers turned white? Or is it odder to even ask that question?

_aaaaaa__**?**_aaaaaa

The two looked around hurriedly, one examining the place and thinking about the way out and the other looking for Time. "Where are we?" muttered C.C. after a while, having given up on the search for Time for the time being.

Lelouch only shook his head "it's not the white space"

"Most certainly not" called a voice at once familiar and yet not. For reasons unknown, although the field/place/thing they stood upon was completely blank and one could apparently see for what seemed like miles, the figure could not be seen until a few feet before them.

"Time!" called C.C. slightly, instinctively moving to see if he was alright, but Lelouch stopped her, "who are you?" he called out with steal, eyes glaring with threatening light.

The figure stopped and smiled, the person did indeed look like Time, hell, even his smile slightly looked it. But as C.C. gave the figure a closer examination she realized that he had no bandages, no wounds, something that she mentally smacked herself for, and then she say the coldness in his eyes, the steal behind the smile, the threat in the stance, and at once she was revolted for even once thinking that this figure could be her little Time.

C.C. blinked, since when did she start calling Time that? She wondered silently. Before she could think more on it the real Time appeared running to them, makeshift bandages flapping slightly about him, a few strands of hair in disarray, eyes shining with concern, and for reasons unknown both C.C. and Lelouch smiled in relief.

The figure, however, did not share their sentiments and hissed as Time drew closer, its eyes turning gold and its fingers sifting into snakes, its arms seeming to melt into four, then eight, then ten, its body lengthening and sifting, curling around itself, silver-red scales taking the place of flesh upon its form.

As the figure grew and changed into a form unrecognizable by the lovers, Time ran to their side and bid them run. They did so without a second thought.

For what seemed like hours the three ran about the plain, passing pulsing lights of blue and noticing the golden veins weaved upon the ground, but not truly upon, for, although they look it, they were truly underneath the ground, lighting the black plain and sending chills down the lovers spines as they noticed a white outline about the field made from skulls.

As the three drew farther away from the creature the ability to see as they could before had begun to fade into nothingness, and soon they had to resort to walking in a line in order to not get separated. They relied on the light of the blue lights floating about to see their way, each trying to ignore the eyes and faces that appeared and disappeared within the air like ghostly apparitions.

"Do you know how we came to be here?" Lelouch finally asked, shattering the stiff silence as they continued to walk forward.

Time sighed, but with an almost laughing air, a small tune echoing behind his words that Lelouch realized had been there the whole time, only now able to be heard by the accenting silence of the place. "Perhaps it is due to his call" was all Time said.

"You mean the one we're running away from?" inquired C.C. but before Time could answer Lelouch asked yet another question "why did he take on your form?"

"Because I was the only one not in the party?" suggested Time, although Lelouch knew that that was not the answer "and, yes, the man we are running from, although he's not really a man at all but what you'd call a transvestite"

The lovers inwardly sighed, finding the news far too easy to except.

From here the three continued to walk on in silence.

"Where do you think you're going little traitor?" sneered someone to the left just before a giant hand revealed itself and grabbed Time, squishing his already wounded body to such an extent he almost screamed, but he swallowed most of the sound so it only came out as a small gasp.

Lelouch and C.C. swirled around at once and felt an extinctive urge to help him at once, neither concerning themselves with the fact that they shouted as one "Little Time!" which caused Time to let off a strained laugh, knowing full well what they meant but finding it humorous that the unmeant saying matched his current situation, and he did not mean the giant hand squishing his lungs.

"So many puns" he coughed as the monster stared at him, perplexed at the young man's rather relaxed state and the humor said person found in this situation "you never change brother" muttered the monster, startling the lovers from their sneak attack for but a second before they jumped at the monsters back and climbed up to his head.

The monster seemed not to notice, multiple hands held aloft or holding his captive, another hand curiously tracing Times face with hidden malice.

Time, for his part, stayed perfectly still, he kept his eyes locked with the monsters, and as the lovers made their way to his shoulder unannounced, Time made the scariest face in the whole world, throwing the monsters whole thought process off track "w..what?" yelped the monster as its head reeled back at the sight, but neither C.C. or Lelouch dared to look at the face made, each concerning themselves with the respected eyes they were about to stab.

Before either could make a move, however, the monsters hands quickly shoot up to capture them, only deterred as Time bit into the flesh of his captive, ripping off the skin and spitting it on the floor before biting the hand again, causing the massive creature to jerk backwards, sending the lovers to the ground in a heap.

Before they could even consider moving back to assist Time, he glanced over to them, eyes alight with power and mouth stern, lips stained red as blood dripped down his chin, they did not even think of resisting as he ordered them to run.

And run they did, across the plain, holding each other's hands, breathing heavily, they did not turn back when they heard the blood curtailing scream, they did not need to, it was not Times after all. Neither even blinked as a blood thirsty scream broke into the air "I will kill you brother!"

They did not need to.

Perhaps it should have been questioned, perhaps it should have been thought over, or even considered slightly weird, but the two knew that Time would be alright, a little hurt perhaps, but alright nonetheless. He had worse beatings than that after all, not that either remembered being told this, or even knew why they would know this to begin with, but they knew either way, and care they did not, they just wanted to go back to the world in which they came.

Continuing to run they eventually saw a light, much like the ones people would joke about people seeing right before they were about to die, but they kept running towards it anyway.

Out of the corner of her eye C.C. noticed that Time had joined them, bleeding profusely from his wounds he kept on running. Before they got too much further, however, he asked of her something quite odd "could you envision Lelouch and I before we got hurt?"

C.C. nodded her head, rather perplexed at the request "then could you please do so now?" Time almost begged, pain edging into his words as more blood fell to the ground.

"Alright" she said, rather subdued due to the situation. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, rather hard when one is running, but with Lelouchs' guiding hand she managed, and when she opened her eyes she almost tripped.

The two were completely healed, although the bandages were still there the wounds themselves had gone, no more burns upon her loves precious skin, no more blood falling to the floor from her little brothers side. Upon that thought she almost chocked, and did, in fact, trip, even if only slightly.

'_Little brother? I'm letting his sis talk get to my head!'_

Lelouch slowed his pace only slightly at first then came to a complete stop before the lights apparent entrance. "I'm healed" he muttered in surprise, but with an inquisitive tone.

Time laughed once more as the two turned back to look at him, noticing his blood matted hair and torn bandages, although his fully bandaged arm seemed to have come to no harm.

"Tis the power of love my dear friends"

Neither answered, they only stared in disdain, waiting silently for a real answer and giving him no choice about it.

"We're not in a hurry any more" commented C.C. "you did kill the only thing that would cause us harm did you not?"

Time sighed "alright, alright, this is what you'd call a dream space"

"Dream…space?" inquired Lelouch

"What type of unimaginative name is that?" wondered C.C. allowed.

"It a place where people can walk to certain places in their sleep, kind of like the center of crossroads that one could go back to at any time, so long as they have not strayed too far down any other path."

The lovers nodded their heads in understanding "so we're dreaming?" asked C.C.

Time shook his head "no, one can only feel pain in this world if it has been made a reality for them"

"And that occurs…how?"

"By being summoned by a dream being as we just were"

"Dream being? Why are all the names boring?"

"Don't ask me Sis, ask the ones that first called them that"

Lelouch sighed and massaged his temples, "how do we get out?"

"How about going into the white light?" Time said with purposeful irony.

The lovers couldn't help but smile, just slightly, and then whack him on the head.

aaaaaa_**Memoir**_aaaaaa

_Before the day can grow any colder I must go, I must seek _her_ advice, and yet I know not of where she is, or even where it is I might start to go about looking for her. _

_Perhaps the demon will know, ah, no, not perhaps, he will know, he does know, in fact, perhaps he would be of better assistance then _she_ would in matters concerning my brother. _

_And yet, as I see him stand outside the crowd with such a false and sad smile, I cannot fight the desire to see _her_, for, quite unintelligently, I feel as if, although the demon may know more, _she _would know better of how to go about using that information, so perhaps I shall visit both. _

_Ah, but that would leave to long a period of time for my dear brother to be vulnerable, without love and gentle care, if only Lelouch would agree to take care of him, then perhaps it could be done. _

_But if I were to ask of him such a thing he would surly question it, and with his all-knowing eyes he would easily pry my business from me, and I could do little to stop it. _

_If he were to find out he would surly try to put a stop to my venture, not nearly as concerned with my brother as he is with my safety._

_And if Lelouch were to find out then my dear brother could find out as well, and thinking that I would do something so recluse in a means to have a true reason to abandon him to the cruelty of society he would close himself off from me. _

_Such a horrid thought clenches my throat and sends my heart into deep sorrow, if such a thing were to truly occur I could find no will in me to smile again for so long as I am to live. _

_No, I shall not go to the demon, but I shall head to the mist valleys upon nightfall. _

_Please, my dear brother, do not come to hate the world or myself in thine absence, I shall be home soon enough, tucking you into bed and listening to your melodic voice, brushing your soft hair, and kissing your tender forehead as you fall asleep. _

_Please, please, please, please, let me find a way to save him, let me gain the ability to save my fragile brother, please_

_Oh, Lelouch, if only I could kiss you one last time before I go, but I fear that, upon doing so, I shall lose my courage and beg for you to join, which you would then promptly persuade me not to take the trip, and then all would be lost. _

_My dear love, my dear brother, please, I hope that the two of you could find it within your hearts to forgive me, I dare not think of the event in which neither of you do, simply writing such an option brings tears to my eyes. _

_I love you both so very much…please, please, don't ever grow to hate me for the path I have chosen._

_I must go to see Morganna, but the mortal flesh possess a hindrance…_

_Sincerley_

_XXX_

!Author Note: you've been warned!

Hello, thank you all for being so patient, and thanks for all the comments. However, this time I have a special request, from what you all have read in the dreams and Memoirs, what do you think has happened in the past? And how do you think that will affect the future? Sorry for the sudden request, but I'm slightly curious as to what you all think of these parts of the chapters, in other words, I'm wondering if I'm doing a good enough job with them or not, so it would be appreciated extremely if I were to get some impute. ^^ once again, thank you all for sticking with us so far!

I am also going to ask, if this is not to bold, that you all please pay careful attention to the chapters and, if any errors spotted, please inform me.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: own nothing but the Times

Chapter 9: Frozen

aaaaaa**Memoir**aaaaaa

_It's cold…_

_It's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, It's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, It's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, It's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's cold, it's…_

aaaaaa**?**aaaaaa

"Cold"

"What?"

"It's cold" whispered Time, rubbing his arms as he glanced around, completely disregarding the strange looks he received from the others.

"It's not cold" Lelouchs grip on C.C.s' hand tightened, eyes roaming the new world they had entered not long ago. C.C. nodded her head in agreement; eyes carefully glancing at Time and watching the white clouds leave his mouth in dread.

"Is it acting up again, your curse?"

Time shook his head, eyes reflecting the ash covered fields "it's cold" he repeated again as he stepped forward, moving towards the giant lump of ash before them.

"However could an ash covered lump of something be cold in a place with no sun?" sarcastically remarked Lelouch, trying to hide his worry as he carefully guarded the two, watching for any movement as they gathered around the lump.

Time smiled slightly at the remark and quickly set about sweeping off the ash. C.C. joined in the effort, Lelouch following soon after.

It took what seemed like several hours before the lump was clear of ash, a statue of a boy coming into view. But upon closer expectation it was found, quit oddly, to be not a statue, but instead a frozen body.

"It looks familiar" remarked C.C., looking back with Lelouch to Time.

Both were startled by what they saw. No longer did Time seem old and young at once, but simply young, far younger than before, and lost, so very, very lost. The two moved toward him, edging slowly as they moved to his side. C.C. shook his shoulder as Lelouch went to look in his eyes, but the eyes that stared back didn't see him, didn't even reflect him. Instead the eyes reflected fire and shadows and forms that were so meshed together that Lelouch had no hope to tell the exact like of the things.

"Time?" C.C. said softly, gently shaking him back and forth.

"This is not the time to have an emotional crisis" tried Lelouch, voice strong but full of worry.

Time finally reacted, eyelids drooping closed and tears pooling around his eyes, mouth forming silent words that they could not understand. The lovers looked at each other in distress, unsure of how to proceed.

Before the two the world began to sift, to brighten and become real. No longer was the ash ash, but snow, and the day was oh so cold. The two huddled together, not in fright but in shocking pain of déjà vu. They asked themselves how they could forget this place, this time, and yet they could not remember it, could not comprehend its importance, its meaning.

They glanced around at the land of snow, and in doing so found a sight most surprising. Hidden behind a pillar of ice and dressed in clothes of old fashion was none other than Time. Albeit, a mini Time. They starred at the glaring child for a while before another C.C. appeared; calling out to the child in words they could not understand but at once felt they should.

Mini Time ran to C.C. B's side, saying something that made her laugh as he grabbed her hand, pointing towards them.

The lovers took a step back then looked at Time, still frozen and crying and reflecting fires.

C.C. B looked in their direction but shook her head, confusion written all over her face. Within her eyes they were not reflected as they were in Mini Time's, and the boy looked sadly at her then back to them, a frown deeply etched upon his face.

The girl tugged his hand and motioned with her head to the north, a smile tugging at her face as the boy whined and pouted; causing C.C. to wonder if Time would actually act as such. Then without any true form of thought the answer came to her, yes, yes he would.

Lelouch stayed still, trying to keep the pain in his heart from bursting, _don't go,_ an inner voice screamed within his head, imagined hand stretching toward the departing pair.

_Please!_ It begged, imagined tears falling about its face_, don't go there!_

And then the area was different again, the world now full of flame and screams and blood.

They both moved to either side of Time and glanced around, hands loosely clasped together so that their arms formed a ring around the still one. In their positions neither one could see his face, see him mouth words and then lick his lips as his eyes once again gained some form of conscience.

"Sister", he choked out, "it hurts, it hurts…"

aaaaaa_**Memoir**_aaaaaa

_Sister, where are you? _

_Sis? Sis? Why don't you answer me? You promised that you'd never let anything bad happen, that you'd make sure the people around me wouldn't die again!_

_Sis, where are you?_

_Please, please, save them, someone, anyone, save them, please save mother and father, please, please!_

_Oh god it hurts! Sister! Please! They don't need to see this! Oh, please, please, please! Make them stop watching! Sister! You promised! You promised! You promised! They're going to die!_

_Mother! Father! Lelouch! They're all going to die! _

_Please! Make them stop! Make them stop!_

_Sister!_

aaaaaa_**?**_aaaaaa

"Sister!" cried two voices as one, one younger and the other older, but same nonetheless. Before Lelouch could stop her C.C. bolted down the road towards the younger cry, leaving Lelouch to glance at her back and then at the still crying Time, but with a hardened sigh he tore his eyes from the pitiful sight and ran after his love, already having guessed that they had no influence on this odd world.

"Sister! Please!" the child cried out again, leading them further into the flames, causing Lelouch to wonder why it was they couldn't do anything to this world and yet they could feel the temperature, and, upon hoping this was the only thing they could experience, they ran into a burning house, which held several wavering figures.

One playing the piano.

"Time!" C.C. yelled suddenly, her eyes finally adjusting to the light.

Lelouch sharply looked over to the figure and at once noticed the several other figures about him, each of which held a knife that they had thrust into the child, smiling as the boy bleed all over the piano as he played, eyes drooping and tears falling.

"Stop!" called someone from behind, a figure tied to a fiery pillar.

C.C.'s eyes widened at the sight, for there was Lelouch, bloody, bruised, burnt, and just having bitten through his gag as he struggled against his restraints. She turned to look at her Lelouch, eyes already tearing up from what she saw and yet not willing to cry, she had to be strong, this wasn't real, it couldn't be…

The child let out a whimper as one of the figures stabbed him in the arm, commanding him to play faster, when his fingers slipped on his own blood the figures yelled in anger and the child screamed as they cut off his ear.

The gagged forms cried out and tried to struggle, the other Lelouch yelling threats at them as they forced the child to continue to play, less his loved ones die a painful death.

Lelouch quickly grabbed C.C. before she could run to the child's aid and pulled her back out of the house, her struggle to help Mini Time only lasting for a few seconds before she got ahold of herself.

The two stood outside before slowly walking away, each one flinching as the child screamed again and again. But as they pulled further away from the house they heard a haunting melody within the air.

"Despairs Melody" whispered Time behind them, eyes bloodshot and cheeks stained with tears, "It's a song that kills anything that hears it…eventually."

The two started.

"It won't affect us" Time laughed, a poor attempt at being his old self, "we don't belong here after all."

"And where is here?"

"Why were you and Lelouch being tortured?"

Time answered neither, a small broken smile playing across his face before he turned away and walked past several burning corpses.

The two followed him without hesitation, but neither gave up asking him the same question, hoping that repeating would annoy him enough to get some form of response. It didn't work. The two were about to change tactics when the scene changed yet again, casting the two in wonder of how often it seemed to happen upon entering the light.

Now the world around them was warm, crystal flowers swaying back and forth upon the shimmering breeze. The lake wavering and rippling as the lotus upon its surface moved, graceful swan dipping their heads into the water.

"Do you know this place?" whispered Lelouch, slowly glancing about as his hand clenched and held onto C.C.'s own.

"No" she replied although her heart spoke otherwise, eyes glancing at Times back "where are we?"

"Some place, nowhere, perhaps back home, perhaps it another time and place."

"Do you know?"

"…"

"Thought so" laughed Lelouch, not really sure if this situation called for it or not. But the others made no response so he remained unsure of the action.

After several glances around the area C.C. sat upon the grass, long hair flowing gently in the breeze. Lelouch sat by her after finishing his own exception, emotionally fatigued.

"What happened to your mother?" C.C. whispered to the wind.

"…she's probably looking for us now."

"But why?" inquired Lelouch, eyes almost closing as he spoke.

Time smiled in reply, but neither noticed, each having fallen into deep slumber.

aaaaaa**Memior**aaaaaa

_Sister took me to the lake today, it was so beautiful. But I have a feeling she's trying to remember, this must not occur, none of them should remember, none, no one, nothing. _

_Nothing happened that day that's worth remembrance, It never came to pass, nothing happened, no one died, no one cried, no one, nothing, never, none. _

_Sister, Lelouch, Mother, Father_

_Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, it never…it never…_

_Please don't leave me again sister! please don't go! Don't leave me!_

_I can't stop seeing them! All dead! All dead! Gone! _

_The monsters coming sis, he's coming, the thing with no form, no name. I can't keep him away sis, he just gets closer, comes closer, smiles, laughs, sis, sis, don't go, you mustn't, to leave would mean, would mean…_

_It's cold sis, so, so cold, why is it cold? The fire is still going isn't it? No, it never happened, never was, never shall, never, never._

_I'm cold sis, so cold, it's as if I'm frozen, I can't move, can't breathe, but the fire never happened, you never died, no one, no one, I'm not alone, I'm not alone. _

_I'm not alone…right, sis?_

aaaaaa**?**aaaaaa

From a dreamless sleep she woke, tears falling down her cheeks.

_Why? I had no dream so sad_.

"What I cannot foresee"

Sang a voice so familiar to her before she could so much as ride her eyes of sleeping dust, her head snapping left as she gracefully turned around, causing as little disturbance for her supposed sleeping love as possible.

"What I could not foresee"

She did not move, eyes adjusting to the light and a little voice inquiring to the whereabouts of Times flute.

"Was how, with great words, the world could change with such great strength"

Odd words, she thought, staring at his back. It was then that Time took a deep breath and angled his head toward the still present sun, _so we haven't slept long, but how was it we fell asleep with such ease?_, and then began anew in a language outside her knowledge.

"la e na e san de, la va ne a ne sa te, lo vo se ne le kan de ne, lo san e na la, le va ne se te"

"The angel's words", whispered Lelouch, C.C., not glancing back in surprise, whispered back "and that is?"

"A language from myth, they say that long ago angels matted with humans and had children who could sing in this tongue. The books said that their music was angelic, even godly; it could heal and wound, create and destroy, because of this the people began to fear and hate them for their beauty, grace, and power and hunted them to extinction. However, some believe that a few had managed to escape."

"Let's not forget the reason for that fear, shall we?" laughed Time from above them "a few of those angelic children went insane, their human hearts couldn't withstand that knowledge, their minds couldn't comprehend the true purpose for the power, and thus they fell into oblivion, killing all that got in their way, no matter how slight. In this state of mind the 'fallen', as they were latter called, killed hundreds of humans and eat their innards with great glee, this is was brought about their fear, but the hunt had another purpose, to gain test subjects" he finished , smiling as he descended before them. The lovers stared not in wonder but in exasperation.

"You mean we could have flown this whole time?" they sighed.

Time shrugged with a laugh "I told you this was a dream world, it's not my fault that you didn't put the two together."

The two set about chasing him then, Lelouch letting C.C. chase Time back to the tree they slept under before running after him himself.

The three laughed, one purely in joy, another in slight aggravation, and the last with cracking and weeping music that was hidden within the wind.

Time kept the two far from the lake, weaving his majestic and tricky tune into the air, never letting them have a chance to remember and ask questions, never letting them see the young boy reflected in the lake standing alone in a burned down village, tears and blood falling to the ground as he shivered in the falling snow, ice slowly creeping about his form…

_Nothing happened that day that's worth remembrance, _it_ never came to pass, nothing happened, no one died, no one cried, no one, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing. _

_Sis, could you ever forgive me?_

aaaaaa**Memoir**aaaaaa

_If I were to close my eyes and sleep, would it all go away?_

_Sincerley_

_XXX_

!Author Note: you've been warned!

Hello everyone! Sorry about the delay, lots of stuff going on and this chapter (due to its rather confusing factor) took some actual thought. I know it feels as if the attention is sifting to Time but if you pay close attention to the Memoirs (as you're supposed to, that's the reason why they're there) you'll find some answers. Please comment, and if this chapter is to confusing let me know, I'll try to clear it up, and if it's not, then feel free to tell me so, I'll try to make it so ^^. Thank you all for your patience!


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: own nothing but the Times and Cold

Chapter 10: Monsters and the Insane

aaaaaa**Filligin**aaaaaa

Time tapped her foot impatiently, sipping her tea as she waited for her eldest son to leave the operation room. _I won't let Time have them_, she growled, scaring those close to her. It was then she grinned, baring her teeth and whistling a tune that summoned her favorite dragons, ordering them to smash the innocent, unsuspecting visitors around her.

With a glee full sigh she leaned back and listened to the screams and frantic pleas, slowly licking the blood off her lips that feel from the ceiling, the dragons having smashed their victims with painful ferocity.

"I'm going to have to clean this up, mother" gently sighed a young man down the hall, shaking his head as he wheeled a blind child through the massacre, his freezing song turning the air about them into a crystal hall.

"Not if I kill them all" she laughed before she stood and patted the child on the head, "how have you been, Nunally?"

The girl smiled up at her and laughed an odd laugh, full of sadness and insanity, "Do you have my brother?"

Time frowned, causing her son to stare at her in confusion; "no" she said with a shake of her head, "the little monster got him."

Nunally's smile froze, her body stiffened, "what?"

Time and Cold glanced at each other and then at the changed girl. Knowing how much she hated the younger Time they had to be careful, her sanity wavering on a very thin line. The women sighed as Cold placed his freezing hands upon the girls shoulders, "relax" he whispered softly, snowy tune lulling her body to a sleepy state.

"The little monster stole your brother from me" continued Time, carefully, and obviously cutting out parts of the story "and took him to an unknown place, your brother, taken by surprise, could not stop the boy from taking him."

Cold raised an eyebrow at this, and Nunally, looking at the floor, filed away the blanks and obvious lies, but, having neither mother or son seen it, the two thought, foolishly, that they had fooled her, underestimating her for her fragility and state of mind.

"I understand" Nunally said, imitating a sleepy voice, her eyes sliding closed out of simple lake of need but being perceived as need of sleep.

Slowly Cold wheeled her chair through the bloody hall and into the elevator, leaving his mother to communicate with him telepathically.

_You tried to kill him_

_No, just frighten him_

_Sure, that's why little brother had such an easy time finding you_

_He took Lelouch someplace near Killist, in a forest of some kind_

_They could be anywhere by now_

_Not if one of your brothers took him to the dream world_

_Fascinating, that would work, if it wasn't for the simple fact that brother can sing a song to transfer his body and those of his companions anywhere_

…_he can do that?_

_He's a "Time", of course he can_

_I can't do that…_

…_you can't?_

_Nope, but I can summon things and he can't…_

_He doesn't need to…_

_Are you contradicting your mother?_

_Of course not, I love you and am forever loyal_

_You're such a cute little kid_

…_I'm going to put her to bed_

_Isn't that what you were doing?_

…

"Miss Time" called someone from behind her, disrupting the conversation.

In a blink she had turned around and was smiling at the person behind her, long hair swaying out of her sparkling eyes way, arms held outward and beckoning. The man before her smiled lightly but his eyes were harsh and cold as he walked into her arms. The two embraced like long lost lovers, like siblings lost on opposite sides of the void.

"What have you been up to, my love?" she asked into his hair that was at once black and not, all colors, and yet none at all.

The man laughed, his ever changing features making it impossible to tell his heritage, something that became more improbable as his body shifted and changed in constant rhythm, seeming to form a wave of colors at once as his skin and hair went about in circles on the color wheel in reverse directions.

"Visiting memoires and glancing at dreams"

Time slowly put the man at arm's length, eyes roaming about his ever changing form with satisfied glee before she glanced at his eyes, the only piece of him that stayed forever the same color, the same shade of freezing black blue that froze C.C. and Lelouch in place while he took on the form of the unknown monster, killing all others in his way as he reached them, tearing the lovers apart.

"Have you seen our youngest child?" she asked, a scowl upon her lips and her eyes dimming in disgust.

The man smiled wickedly, ever changing lips accenting the dark plan upon his tongue.

"I have, my love, my life" he whispered, "in the form of a man in his memories, in _their_ memories"

"Their? You mean Lelouch and C.C. were there too?"

"Indeed, it seems as we wait the child makes grand leaps and bounds"

"He can't run away from the past forever" she laughed coldly, hands falling to her sides as her eyes filled with involuntary tears. "Damn women, even after all these years her soul still refuses to fuse with mine."

The man shook his head, hair of ever changing color and type flying about his face. "Maria was a strong women, she would have been queen of the world if it wasn't for her infernal love for _her_ son."

"You mean _our_ son"

The man once again shook his head, blue eyes glancing at Time in slight disgust, "so long as the two of you have yet to fuse, he is _hers_" he smiled sardonically, "and she would never allow me to claim him as mine."

_But you acknowledged that he was just a while ago_, Time thought with the airs of a disappointed child.

aaaaaa**Diary**aaaaaa

_They, the demons, the monsters, they don't know, don't wish to acknowledge, that I still have the ability to function on my own. They think me weak and easy prey._

_I'm not. _

_I once was. _

_I would still be. _

_However, my brother's sacrifice for the people helped ride of some of my naivety, and young Time's words did the rest. _

_They think I hate him, that I would wish him, my only ally in this living misfortune, dead. They think that brother Lelouch is all I want, even if, perchance, brother was still alive, why would I wish for him to come into enemy hands? For I have deemed them as such when they attempted to kill the young one, threatening to take away my only emotional support in these ever white walls. _

_How long have I been here?_

_I don't know. _

_I lost track after little Time left, his sad smile forever imprinted in my mind as he pated me on the head and told me to pretend to be insane, to be weak and frail, to do so accordingly, not at once, but subtly, telling me this would keep me safe for the mean time. _

_It has._

_It will._

_It must. _

_I believe in little Time, just as much as he trusts that I shall make it on my own, I do trust that he shall save my brother and C.C., he'll save them both._

_Even if it costs him his life. _

aaaaaa**Memoir**aaaaaa

_I went to the outside today, I snuck from the room and went south, toward the forbidden area. _

_Why was it forbidden? How could it be forbidden, when I felt soft murmurs in my heart begging me to go past the steel door? I wanted to know, and so I stood, stretching out my hand toward the only obstacle between myself and the outside._

_I felt it then, the shudder of desire through my body, the wish to see family so long ago lost, to see friends so long ago barred and forgotten. _

_Past the door was cold, freezing cold, but I was prepared. On legs unaccustomed to walking I set forth and pushed my way through the flood of ice and snow, falling several times. _

_Eventually I came to the burnt town of legend, the place where the forbidden melody was played, were the people were either burnt alive or killed by the song. We were told that a demon committed the crime, a monster, all in a fit of rage, but was that possible? Was that truth?_

_My heart whispers no, my mind screams at the injustice of such a declaration, but I don't understand why._

_I walked around the burnt town, glancing at the ruined homes, not surprised at the disappearance of the bodies under the snow. Soon I had entered the center of the town. In which I now write. I glance about for more details of the past, and yet see none. _

_Ah, but now the wind blows sharply, the snow whistling, fluttering, and falling in the breeze. Is that a voice? A child's? a boy's? My heart urges me to run to it, to find who speaks so sorrowfully in words I cannot understand and hug them, hold them close, for this person is a friend, a companion, a brother. _

_I slowly stand and walk, freezing, in the direction of the voice. Soon I am lost, so very, very lost. But my heart reassures me, my soul laughs at my worries and sings in joy at finding where it is this voice hides. _

_And, yet, upon coming to that spot, I find not the joy my soul sung of, or the reassurance given to me by mine heart. _

_Before me is a boy. _

_A frozen boy. _

_A dead boy. _

_A very frozen, dead, crying boy…whose ear is cut off. _

_I look around; hopping this is some sort of well-made sculpture, some fake, hoping to fool myself into denial. It doesn't work. Not when the voice whispers in the blown snow, the ever sad tone raising tears to my eyes. "Who are you?" I ask, it is not the snow that answers, but my soul. _Time_, it calls, voice so sad and melancholy. But how would I know such a boy? Such a frozen dead boy who's been here, by the design of his clothes, for over one thousand years? And my mind laughs it's hard laugh, it and my heart declaring memories that were no longer within me, and yet were. _

_I was not in this boy's life, not here, not in this town, but somewhere else, they say, my soul nodding its ever invisible head. Sometimes I believe I'm going insane. _

Lelouch_, my mind whispers, somehow, into the air, and the snow sobs, the frozen boys eyes seeming to come to life, "It never happened" the boy spoke into my head, his voice desperate. The tone made my heart ache, my soul jerking at the name Lelouch and treasuring it for reasons unknown to me. _

"_What never happened?" I dared to ask, taking it initiative over my split personality. _

"_There can be no 'it' if 'it' didn't happen" the snow danced about my form. Confused I asked another question. "Why do you speak my language now?"_

"_I had to obtain it from your mind first" whispered the voice, once again in my head, irritating me for its constant switches. "Then do you know my name?" I asked sweetly, a sure sign that I was agitated. _

"_Nunally" the child's mouth seemed to move, his eyes coming more to life as we talked. _

_I was not as surprised as I was expecting, my other selves having already known he knew us, but why us, why not me? Why did we have to act separately? Why were we even separated, to hold different parts of memory apparently long forgotten and to feel so separately, like four souls stuffed into one body?_

_The snow laughed weakly, "you get used to it" the boy's voice muttered, sending chills down my spine, knowing that the closer to awake he became, the more pain he felt, let us not forget the cut off ear. _

"_Go back to sleep" I tried, "you have no were to go but ruins if you wake up"_

"_And you, no were but lies and deceit"_

"_Is that not what you're doing with the dead here?" I blurted before I even realized what I was saying. My other selves quickly hide in corners of my body, each one eager to see how this would play out._

_The boys eyes that had seemed to gain light suddenly dulled "It never happened" he muttered, this time the words coming from his own mouth, moving sluggishly behind the barrier of ice that surrounded his frail and broken form. _

_I stared at his empty eyes and wondered if he could possibly be the demon the elders spoke so much about, finding it hard to think anyone but a demon could live in a pillar of ice for over one thousand years. And, yet, as I looked at the place of his missing ear and listened to the continuing muttering of "It never happened" I found it hard to picture him as anything but a victim._

_The other parts of myself agreed. _

"_alright, Mr. It-never-happened, whatever this 'it' is" although I had a very good idea, "let's say it didn't happen, just for a moment, what would you possibly do, what could you possibly do, in a place so full of snow and death?"_

_The boy stopped muttering but he did not answer. _

_I sighed, "alright, I'm not supposed to leave my house, I'm terribly ill, or so my parents say, and I'm always lonely" the boy's eyes turned inquisitive, "what I am trying to say is…if you really want to wake up, and if you ever get tired of entertaining corpses, come visit me sometime" I pointed back towards to boarder, "I'm just beyond the giant wall."_

"_And how do I get in if I don't have a pass?" the boy asked, his tone sincere but his eyes flashing with sarcasm. _

_This feels like déjà vu, "just nock"_

"_And if you don't answer? Or if someone else does?"_

_I stared, confused, I'm not used to being questioned, and, yet, the frozen boy brought up good points, but he was still nothings more than a frozen, earless, living dead corpse. _

"_I'll figure that out latter"_

_The snow laughed, "you were so different back then…" it whispered whimsically. _

_Back when, I wanted to ask, but my other selves pushed their way back to the surface, "come with me" we said, hand outstretched toward the frozen pillar. _

"_If 'it' never happened, then you'd still be with us, right?" they said, confusing me to no end. _

"_Sis and Lelouch" the boy muttered, eyes once again down cast, empty._

_Those words pulled at my heart, tore at my soul, and saddened my mind. They confused me. _

"_They'll be reborn, just let them go, let them leave the illusion of life, let them be happy, let them move on" they said. _

_The boy's eyes darkened, thinking he'd close off once again I shouted, "You won't be alone! I'll be with you!" all my other parts agreed. _

_The boy stiffened as much as his body was allowed in the ice, and, extending my hands, I traced his face on the ice, "it's alright" I muttered, the others no longer in control, "I'll be with you every step of the way."_

_Sincerley_

_XXX_

aaaaaa**Filligin**aaaaaa

Not once waking up, for if she had Nunally would have surely questioned it's imposibility, she slipped through the restraints. Gliding across the floor and through devices used to rid her of her eyes time and time again. Sitting soflty upon the chair, quitly, far to quitly, extracting her Diary from it's hiding place, she began to write.

aaaaaa**Diary**aaaaaa

_one thing has always confused me about little Time, whenever I said thank you he'd smile a smile of melancholy and shake his head, his eyes forever saying "no, thank you."_

aaaaaaa**Filligin**aaaaa

Slowly Nunally opened her eyes and glanced out the window, and although she could not see, should not be able to see, she stared out into a star filled night with two silhouette's dancing under the gracious and peacful moon light. She smiled, her unseeing eyes twinkling with happiness as she gazed out of eyes not her own.

"Thank you, Time..."

!Author Note: you've been warned!

After I posted the 11 chapter I recieved a review (the only review I have recieved) stating that they thought the story was already over, going back over it I relize that I could very well end it here, so I've decided to do just that, however, while messing with the story my computer started acting wierd and I accidentally deleted the previous version of chapter 10, so I had to re-write the last part from memory...not that good.

This is were the story will end.

However, if given enough reviews (which I doubt) I might create a second part.

Besides that, Thank you all so very much for your support!


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